Image: Flickr/Jonathan Warner

“One of the most obvious facts about grownups to a child is that they have forgotten what it is like to be a child.” (Randall Jarrell)

If you’ll recall, being a kid wasn’t easy. Of course, you’ve probably forgotten all that by now. That’s one of the problems adults have; we forget. We forget what it was like not having any say about where we lived or when we ate. We forget what it was like to not understand what we were feeling or why our bodies were doing such strange things.

The world can be a confusing place for a child. They feel pressure, uncertainty, anxiety, and so much more. Most of us felt it when we were young; most of our children feel it now.

If you’re not careful with your child’s emotions, they may get the impression that their feelings don’t matter. Odds are, that’s not what you want to communicate. So, take some time this week to do something simple that could get you back in touch with their reality. Watch one of their TV shows. Read one of their books. And, most importantly, have a conversation with your child about how one of the characters they’re watching or reading about things and feels. You may be surprised by how great an impact such a seemingly small action on your part can have.