It is painful as a parent to watch our children in pain, or anticipating pain.
And confusing in situations where there is necessary pain and discomfort like in the case of medical care.
The key to helping our children navigate these challenging moments is in staying calm (not taking their anxiety on) and in staying present (feeling empathy for their fear and discomfort but not shutting down).
As adults if we avoid their anxiety and worry it will continue to cycle inside their little bodies and likely come out more intensely.
I always tell myself "this is an opportunity for my child to learn more about their emotions and for me to continue to show them what empathy and support in a relationship feels like".
Hang in there parents, Dentists and Doctors visits are not for the faint of heart 💜❤️💜❤️
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In this video, you'll learn that human beings are wired to co-regulate, and that words like "come here" or "I am here" used with gentleness and compassion can be deeply soothing and help our loved ones know that their emotional needs are not a burden to us.
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Learn about the two sources that drive the desire to always be around people, natural extraversion and trauma response, and how recognizing the latter can help you find rest in solitude and process past relationships in this insightful video.
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Avoid focusing too much on fairness when teaching kids, as it can create a belief that good behavior is always rewarded and bad behavior is always punished, leading to the dangerous belief that they deserve any trauma they experience, instead use relational motivation to guide them towards making good choices.
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