"Saying yes to your child means loosening the reins and indulging them a little. It means being as flexible as you can while still setting clear limits as you normally would. For instance, let them make a fort from blankets, pillows, and couch cushions, knowing this will create more work for you, cleaning up later. Let them paint their bike. Let them invent a cookie recipe which you help them make and bake, knowing it will likely be barely edible. You get the idea."
"When your 5-year-old asks, "What happens to Grandma now that she died?" hold off on explaining about death, funerals, the circle of life, heaven, etc. Yes, the question sounds intellectual, but so often kids are really trying to express emotions. In this case, first invite your child to talk about how they feel about Grandma's death. If your child has trouble identifying or expressing their feelings, you can try naming what you suspect your child might feel."
Parents can deepen bonds by talking about emotions and sharing feelings with children. Naming and identifying emotions improves a child's emotional intelligence and ability to express themselves. Play, humor, and spending quality time with a child strengthen self-esteem and confidence. Saying yes sometimes loosens strictness, signals that the child's wants matter, and builds self-worth through small indulgences like forts, messy projects, and creative cooking. When children ask seemingly intellectual questions, address emotions first, invite feeling-language, and only then answer the cognitive question once feelings are attended to.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]