How we inadvertently suppress our children’s feelings

I heard Gabor Mate say this on a health podcast recently. And it made me think how babies, when they are born, don't hold back with their feelings and emotions. The thing is that they very quickly learn to suppress them.

If we find it hard to listen to those feelings - whether we shush, rock or bounce a crying baby or struggle to cope with a toddler tantrum, the message children get is that being fully themselves isn't acceptable, so they adapt and learn to suppress themselves for the sake of being accepted. For the sake of not loosing our love and approval.

How many of us, through no ill-will of our parents, gave up our true selves (or parts of us) for the sake of being accepted...?

Over time if this self-suppression is strong, it can lead to a range of issues, including chronic illness, because self-suppression for the sake of being accepted by others has deep physiological consequences on the immune stem, nervous system, on the heart and more.

So, how can we foster an environment that nurtures emotional authenticity and connection?

It starts with understanding the nervous system and trauma-informed parenting approaches, such as Aware Parenting.

I wonder how this sounds to you and if it resonates?

Curious about Aware Parenting, the nervous system or trauma-informed parenting?

If you are, you can always schedule a no-commitment call on my website to discuss your questions. I’ll be thrilled to chat with you.