I am never one who puts her heart on her sleeve. I have always prided myself on not getting emotional. When I do, I feel vulnerable and lost. It changed when I became a parent.
Someone once told me not to cry in front of children as it is a form of weakness. I must show my son I am strong. And since I am a single parent, I must show that I am always smiling. I call that bullshit.
Humans are capable of feeling different emotions, whether they are negative or positive. It is what separates us from other creatures. Feelings are what make us human. Feelings are what make us alive. I believe that showing these emotions to others is showing our humanity.
As parents, we are responsible for teaching our children these feelings and how to express them. Crying is not a sign of weakness but instead of strength. It takes a lot of courage to show what you are feeling to someone else. Having to show emotions to your children will not confuse them; it will help them understand.
I often go to the room, sit in the corner and cry when I feel too stressed out, and my son would come in and either play beside me or sit down with me. Sometimes he would wipe my tears away. Once I’m out of tears, I tell him why I was crying. He would always understand.
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I would always reference the movie “Inside Out” to talk to him about emotions. One part I love about the film is when Joy falls down the pit, crying while looking at a core memory of Riley. She then realizes that one part of the globe is blue, showing Riley crying after losing the game. It only becomes yellow when her parents and friends come to support her. Joy then realizes the importance of Sadness in Riley’s life.
Never be afraid to cry in front of your kids. Let those tears flow. After all, happiness is just around the corner.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Eric Ward on Unsplash