The Costs of Overlooked Emotional Pain for Some Quiet Children

"George lived there in a small wooden home where his father spent long days at sea, and his mother cleaned rooms for tourists who enjoyed the island without noticing the struggles around them. His parents cared deeply, but exhaustion limited their ability to listen and connect at the end of each day. George sensed this, so he learned early to keep his feelings inside."

"George wandered the sandy paths near his home each afternoon. He kicked bottle caps like little footballs, watched lizards slip beneath bushes, and stared at the ocean as if the waves might answer questions he never voiced. In school, he stayed near the back of the classroom because speaking felt risky when no one noticed him. Teachers misread his quiet nature as a lack of interest. That misunderstanding created emotional neglect, which means no one recognized or responded to the feelings he carried."

"San Andrés holds many children with stories like his. Some grow loud when pain overwhelms them. Others grow restless because their bodies hold stress they cannot explain. Many grow quiet because silence feels safer than asking for help. When adults focus only on behavior and not the emotion underneath, children feel more alone. Over time, they begin to believe their thoughts and needs do not matter."

San Andrés Islands show natural beauty while many children grow up in silence. George lived in a small wooden home; his father spent long days at sea and his mother cleaned rooms for tourists, and exhaustion limited their ability to listen or connect. George learned to keep his feelings inside. He wandered sandy paths, kicked bottle caps, watched lizards, and avoided speaking at school. Teachers misread his quiet as lack of interest, creating emotional neglect because no one recognized or responded to his feelings. Some children become loud, restless, or quiet when pain and stress go unaddressed. As a teenager, George admired older boys riding motorcycles whose confidence drew admiration.

Read at Psychology Today