When Your Kids Hurt You Feel Their Pain Too
Love your kids for who they are
When your kids hurt, you hurt with them at whatever stage of life, and it doesn’t matter if the hurt is chronic or emotional pain. As teenagers, it seems they hand out more hurt than they receive while learning how the world works. You get dirty looks, scowls, and smartypants comments that rule your engagement. Parenting during these years is probably one of the most challenging phases. The kids you held close and kissed their boo-boos want very little to do with you, unless it’s to open your wallet to hand them money. You understand that the kid’s bedroom is more like a cave for this stage of life and you pretend not to notice the state of being. The blinds are drawn, the bed is unmade, and clothes are strewn about the floor.
The transition into understanding happens so slowly that you barely notice when the scowls don’t last as long. As kids outgrow the teenage years, they start listening more noticeably, with the intent to apply what you’re saying. The truth is that they’ve been listening all along, but they didn’t act like they heard a thing you said when they were in the stages of self-discovery. As a parent, at some point, you stop tip-toeing around saying the right thing more often and have genuine conversations. But, that’s when they are adults. When your kids hurt, you wear their…
