Psychology says older parents who complain that their kids are too sensitive are usually describing children who finally felt safe enough to feel things their parents never allowed themselves to feel - Silicon Canals

"When I complain that my kids are too sensitive, what I'm really saying is they feel things I never let myself feel. They cry when they're sad. I learned to swallow it. They ask for help when they're overwhelmed. I learned to tough it out alone. They talk about anxiety and depression like it's normal. I learned to pretend those things didn't exist."

"Research shows that children's perceptions of parental emotional neglect are associated with future psychopathology. In plain English? All that 'tough it out' parenting messes kids up. But we didn't know that. We just knew that feelings were for women and kids. Real men pushed through. Real men didn't cry."

"Turns out it was just silence dressed up as strength. My father came home tired every night from the pipe-fitting job, coached CYO basketball on weekends, and never once talked about how he felt about anything. We thought that was strength."

A father reflects on his evolving understanding of emotional expression across generations. Raised in a culture where men suppressed feelings and equated emotional restraint with strength, he initially viewed his son's willingness to discuss emotions and seek help as weakness. Research demonstrates that parental emotional neglect correlates with psychological problems in children. The father recognizes that what he once labeled as his son being "too sensitive" actually reflects the younger generation's healthier approach to mental health. His realization reveals that his generation's emotional suppression was not strength but silence masquerading as toughness, while younger generations' openness to feelings and therapy represents genuine courage and self-awareness.

Read at Silicon Canals