Embracing the Storm: Why I Let My Kid Feel Negative Emotions
It is natural for us parents to shield our children from any pain and discomfort the world may bring. However, as counterintuitive as it may sound, I have made a conscious decision to let my child experience negative emotions. In this thought-provoking article, I share my reasons and the benefits behind letting my child navigate the full spectrum of emotions – including the negative and the ugly ones.
Embracing the Storm: Why I Let My Kid Feel Negative Emotions
Builds Emotional Resilience
My child will feel negative emotions such as sadness, frustration, and disappointment throughout his development and I allow him to feel so. I believe that by doing so, I am fostering his emotional resilience. Life will never be fairytale for him nor for me. Life will be filled with ups and downs and learning to navigate these emotions early on prepares him for the challenges he will inevitably face later in life.
Develops Emotional Intelligence
I do not want to sugarcoat everything for my son. Suppressing negative emotions can hinder a child’s emotional intelligence. By teaching him how to acknowledge and embrace these emotions, I am providing him an opportunity to understand and articulate his own feelings. In the long run, this cultivates empathy, self-awareness, and healthy emotional expression.
Encourages Problem-Solving Skills
At first, having the need to experience negative emotions is not a fun experience at all. Admittedly, as a grown adult, I do not want to experience negative emotions as well. But looking back, I believe that if only my parents let me experience them and learn how to act on them accordingly, I would be stronger to face my problems in life.
I am a firm believer that experiencing negative emotions can serve as a catalyst for problem-solving. Instead of immediately swooping in to rescue my child from discomfort, I allow him space to identify the root cause of his emotions and explore potential solutions to the said problem. This empowers him to become proactive problem solvers who can handle life’s challenges independently.
Fosters Authenticity and Self-Acceptance
I do not want my child to grow up living in a facade of constant happiness through suppressing negative emotions. By allowing my child to experience a range of emotions, I am fostering authenticity and self-acceptance. By doing so, he will learn that it is normal to have both positive and negative feelings, and he will develop a healthy sense of self. One that is unafraid to embrace his true emotions.
Builds Trust and Open Communication
When I am allowing my child to feel negative feelings, I make sure that I offer enough emotional support to him. And through this, I am creating a safe space for my child to express them which builds trust and promotes open communication. I let him know that he can come to me without fear of judgment or rejection. This greatly helps in strengthening our bond and encourages him to seek guidance and support during challenging times.
Letting our child experience and feel negative emotions remain to be a debatable topic up to this day. But I firmly believe that it is a crucial aspect of my child’s emotional development. By embracing the storm, I am equipping my child with the essential life skills, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
Together, we will navigate life’s highs and lows. I will let him experience negative emotions but I will always be behind his back, By allowing my child to feel negative emotions, I am empowering him to embrace life fully and thrive in an ever-changing world.
