Difficult feelings

We can't wrap our kids in bubble wrap any more than we can deny the reality that they will experience difficult feelings.

If we deny, ignore, invalidate, or shame difficult feelings, they are likely to grow and grow.

Instead, we can help them identify, express, validate, and allow those difficult feelings so they can ride the natural course of emotions' ups and downs.

The good news: Monkey see, monkey do, so if our kids see us doing this, they will find it easier to do it for themselves.