Your Child Hurts Himself and Doesn’t Want to Cry!

One of my friends brought her child over to my home to play with my grandson. While running around the backyard, my friend’s son, Nathan, stumbled and fell hard on his knee. The knee was severely bruised and bloody. Shockingly, Nathan withheld any emotion although he was in extreme pain. My friend and I were alarmed that he was too self-conscious and afraid to express his true emotions. When approaching Nathan about his injury, my friend responded to his distress by:

Encouraging him to express how he felt
Telling him it was OK to cry
Reassuring and cuddling her son
Having her son help when washing and applying medicine on the knee

As an adult, I hardly ever cry. I don’t think it is healthy. I held back my emotions when family members were ill because I did not want to worry other family members and create turmoil. I wanted to be a good girl and denied my emotions to take care of the family.

When raising my children and now my grandchild, I have encouraged them to express their emotions. I want my grandson to learn how to feel his emotions and express them. If a child withholds his feelings, he may not identify his true feelings. Over time, the child may develop anxiety, anger, or depression about life’s circumstances.

When your child puts himself last and everyone else first, healthy relationships with family members have limited grow and may not be nurtured.

May you resolve those trying times with loving tears!

Joyce