Don’t dismiss your child’s feelings by using phrases like “you’re being a baby” “grow up” or “act like a man”.

We call it tough love but comments like these can lead children to believe that how they feel about a particular situation is not valid. This could lead to confused or anxious feelings.

This is how your child may interpret what you’ve said – “since crying is only for babies then there must be something wrong with me.” “If these feelings I have are unique to me then I need to hide them”. So your child creates a brave, albeit fake outlook to hide his true feelings, which will eventually show up in some much unexpected tantrum or negative behaviour.

But when we acknowledge children’s feelings, we have the opportunity to teach them how to better regulate their emotions and deal with the cause directly in more mature ways. ork at all for another.

“Dismissing children’s feelings can lead to confusion and anxiety. Instead, let’s break the cycle of ‘tough love’ and prioritise emotional validation for our children’s growth and development.