Great advice

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove

:: Implicit Validation ::

Much is said about the importance of *validating*
children's feelings -- telling children that it's okay
to feel how they feel.

What's rarely acknowledged is that children innately
*know* their feelings *are* valid, so they don't need
validation unless they've been previously INvalidated.

When the child's inherent sense of worthiness is
intact, the real beneficiary of explicit validating is
the parent whose feelings were invalidated in
childhood.

Children derive greater benefit from *implicit*
validation, which is most powerfully expressed when we
are willing to be fully present with them as they move
through their emotions.

No words are needed to validate implicitly. You never
say, "It's okay to be happy," you just *know* it's
okay. So why say, "It's okay to be sad/mad/etc," if
so-called "negative" emotions are just as valid as the
"positive" ones?

You'll find it easier to stay present if you hold this
thought: Children who have strong feelings are blessed
with strong Inner Guidance.

http://dailygroove.net/validation

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(Please include this paragraph and everything above.)

Today's Daily Groove message was originally
presented on September 21, 2006.

Copyright (c) by Scott Noelle