Sit Together On A Feelings Bench

It’s important to validate kids’ feelings (not their inappropriate behaviors), even when you don’t like it. This looks like sitting down with them ‘on the feelings bench’ and experiencing it with them in the moment they’re feeling it. It helps them tolerate, or even accept, their feelings - especially the ones that make them upset or uncomfortable. 

In doing this, they slowly grow up comfortable with their varying ranges of emotions, and don’t defer to numbing their feelings as adults. 

So allow their feelings to have space in your home, by sitting with them. This tells them we, as parents, still like them, even when they have tough feelings we don’t necessarily like. 

After all, how can kids learn to tolerate feelings that we can’t tolerate in them?