Posts Tagged Acknowledging Feelings

Handling Interruptions

On March 12, 2015 / Effectiveness, Relationships

All teachers and parents have had children interrupt them while they are talking or doing something important. How you handle the interruption will prompt either positive or negative feelings in the child.

If someone interrupts you while you are working on something and have that mental momentum where you are in a state of flow, take just a moment to write down some key words that later will bring you back to your thought.

If the interruption is at a lower priority than what you are engaged in, here is how to diplomatically deflect the interruption without hurting the other person’s feelings. It is a four-step process.

Start with “I WANT TO . . . .” (1st part)
“I want … >>>

Validating Your Child’s Feelings

On December 18, 2012 / Parenting

A mother should validate—rather than deny—a child’s feelings.

Let’s examine a case of shyness.

The child says to the parent that she does not like being a shy person.

The mother says, “There’s nothing wrong with being shy.”

The mother just negated the child’s opinion and feeling about herself. The parent has supplanted the child’s opinion about shyness with the mother’s own opinion. The child now feels guilty about having a different opinion. And yet, the child still feels bad about being shy.

Point:
The child’s responsibility is to work toward removing own her pain.

The parent’s responsibility is to listen, empathetic, and perhaps offer a suggestion—but NOT to negate the child’s feeling. … >>>