The Emotions aren't leaving.

One of the greatest fears I have as a dad is that I'm not teaching or allowing my kids to express their emotions.  The fear most likely stems from the fact that I don't know how to do this.  I feel as though I'm not alone.  Many people have grown up having been told not to cry and to be tough.  Or you may not have been given the opportunity to express anger either.  What happens when you get older and there is no one around to prevent these emotions from coming out?  We simply do no know how to express them.  So we don't.  I say we because I'm hoping I'm not the only one.

For example.  My son wanted to play on his Kindle yesterday only to discover the battery was dead.  He was upset and I told him that it's his responsibility to make sure it gets plugged in.  He's 5.  To be fair, I don't know that I ever actually told him specifically it was his responsibility.  It's been mentioned, but not directly.  Anyway, he started crying.  Not just a sad cry, but a pretty aggressive end of the world sadness type cry.  I ended up tell him that he shouldn't be crying about a game.

I'm having some second thoughts though.  What harm would come from letting him cry that one out? I really don't know where that cry came from.  Clearly it shouldn't have been from only not being able to play on his kindle.

I have to remember that even if I can't understand what the emotion is that they are showing, they are trying to show an emotion.  And by telling them not to have it or to suppress it....they'll turn out to be just like me.  I want them to know that they will be heard.  And that however they are feeling and whatever brought it up is important.

Your emotions...if not expressed....will kill you.

But it's tough.  I have lots of emotions.  I have lots of hurts and pains from my past.  Many of these involve other people.  But I don't want to bring them up now because of how it would make them feel.  So they stay suppressed.   What's confusing about all this?  Is every damn thing about it.