Parents want their children to trust them. You want to be the first person to whom your child turns to with the big features, the hard stuff and the exciting stuff. She wants their children To feel safe enough to ask questions and share emotions.
But none of this happens automatically, and trust does not come from simply saying: “You can talk to me.”
Instead, you go first. Be open and honest. Show them how to navigate uncomfortable emotions and difficult situations. Model it.
That just sounds, but parents don’t always know how to put it into practice. Here are six things that you can do every day to build confidence with your child:
1. Normalize about feelings
As A double certified children’s life specialist and therapistI support families with some of the most difficult conversations that can be imagined – including illness, hospital stay, trauma and loss. I have learned that these moments are easier when children are exposed to open communication every day, not only when life becomes difficult.
When children see how adults name and share their own feelings, You learn, it’s okay to do the same. There is a quiet, unwritten permit to open up.
That may sound like: “I am a little worried that we will come to school and work too late. Let us work together.”
It’s about modeling. If we Name emotions loudly – Both the good and the uncomfortable – we teach our children that feelings are nothing to hide.
2. Don’t avoid the hard stuff
When children watch how their adults avoid certain topics, they quickly learn what is “from limits” and could worry even more.
This could look like skipping the fact that a mistake has died or a question about someone who uses a wheelchair. But these are missed possibilities. If we avoid uncomfortable or unknown people, we teach children that these conversations do not belong to our home.
Instead, attract a room in which all questions are welcome, curiosity have met part of everyday life with calm and honesty.
Try to use it These sentences To navigate difficult conversations with your child.
3. Be honest to your own challenges
For many parents, emotional openness does not come naturally. Perhaps they didn’t grew up in a house where people showed or shared their feelings. That’s okay.
You can still give your child something else. You can even start sharing what it is difficult to open up: “I have not grew up through my feelings, but I want to do it with you – because I know it is important and helpful.”
This level of honesty establishes the connection. It shows her child that emotional openness is not about being perfect – it’s about being present and ready.
4. Model, do not ask
We all asked: “How was your day?” And got a shrug or a one-word answer.
Try to turn it around. Instead of asking for your child to open first, they share something of their day: “Today was a kind of roller coaster ride. I was about a little excited in the morning, but then something didn’t work as I expected, and I felt frustrated. I went for a walk and felt better at the end of the day. And now I am excited to see her and to hear from your day.”
This modeled reflection and emotional awarenessAnd teaches children how to do the same.
5th
A simple but powerful way too Let communication flow it is to be built up in family routines.
In my house we make “high, low-hoh“ At dinner. Each person shares a highlight of their day, something that was difficult, and another positive moment.
Even my youngest – only two years old – asks it every evening after. It has become a rhythm that creates space for joy and struggle and is woven into everyday life.
6. Also teach coping strategies
When you talk about feelings, open the door to talk about coping skills that can help you deal with you.
After, for example, you have called your frustration loudly, you could follow him: “If I feel so much, I try to take a deep breath to help my body calm down.”
You can even practice a few calming breaths before going to bed. It is a simple, powerful way to show that the regulation of emotions is normal and feasible.
Trust is built in the small moments
Children always watch. You don’t just hear what you say – you notice how you say it when you say it and what you avoid.
If you want your child to entrust them to great things, show them that they can entrust them to little things. Confirm your feelings and show you that what is in your head is important. Model honesty. Normalize emotions. And create space for real conversations – even if they are chaotic or hard.
If you go first, your child can see how it is finished and follow your tour.
Kelsey Mora Is certified children’s life specialist and licensed clinical professional consultant, the parents, families and communities affected by illnesses, trauma, grief and stress of everyday life, offers customer -specific support, instructions and resources. She is a private practice owner, mother of two children, the creator and author of The method workbooksand the chief clinical officer of the non -profit organization Cucumber group.
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