The Family Puzzle... Putting the Pieces Together
Session 4 - DISCIPLINE THAT GETS RESULTS
Lesson 1 - Feelings: the Energy That Motivates Your Child
What happened to you when you expressed your feelings as a child?
Were you allowed to express them?
Did you feel heard and understood?
Nurturing and giving the space to discover her passions are extraordinary gifts to give your child. Passion is driven by emotions. When we disconnect from our emotions, our lives become dull and meaningless. It is the disconnected child who abuses drugs, sex and food and shoots his peers at school.
When we disallow emotions, we disconnect
children from themselves.
Compassion and empathy for others are developed when we take the time to handle emotions effectively. Do you want your son to have compassion and empathy for his little sister before he bops her on the head? If so, we need to teach and model this at home and at school. These are skills that will help your child throughout his life.
“Contrary to most conventional thinking, emotions are inherently neither positive or negative; rather, they serve as the single most powerful source of human energy, authenticity, and drive, and can offer us a wellspring of intuitive wisdom. In fact, feelings provide us with vital and potentially profitable information every minute of the day. This feedback – from the heart, not the head - is what ignites creative genius, keeps you honest with yourself, shapes trusting relationships, provides an inner compass for your life and career, guides you to unexpected possibilities, and may even save your organization from disaster.”
Robert Cooper, Ph.D. & Ayman Sawaf, Executive EQ
Handling feelings effectively requires us to consciously choose our words to create closeness instead of distance. Unless you were brought up using these communication skills, this process may initially feel a bit clumsy, cumbersome and time consuming. However, with patience and a willingness to try, you will be amazed at how they can connect your family.
