You can disagree AND feel empathy.
Oct 06, 2022
Understanding someone's feelings doesn't mean you agree with them. You can disagree AND be empathetic at the same time.
I learned this while raising my kids. Sometimes I couldn't understand why they felt the way they did, why it took so long for them to 'snap out of it'.
In the end, the more I questioned or critiqued, the more they withdrew.
I was a quiet and sensitive child. I took a long time to snap out of it, too. Being told I was too sensitive didn't help. It hurt, a lot. That's what denying someone's feelings sounds like. It's the opposite of empathy.
The key to staying connected to kids is to focus more on them as people, not problems; to listen; to feel some empathy.
Opinions don't matter with someone you love. See the real person in front of you.
P.S. - Check out the Raising Teenagers program. It's where you learn how to balance all those pesky emotions and deepen your connection to your child.
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