I’ve had an important parenting realization: children learn as much from watching how parents handle difficulty as from explicit instruction.
Rather than projecting constant confidence, I believe parents should model how to navigate uncertainty. This might be one of the best things I can model for my children.
Honest Conversations
When facing professional challenges or emotional complexity, I share age-appropriate details with my kids. Recently, discussing a job transition, I acknowledged feeling both excited and nervous—showing that it’s normal to feel multiple emotions simultaneously.
Embracing Vulnerability
I frame authentic emotional expression as strength rather than weakness. This approach helps children develop emotional intelligence and resilience by demonstrating that experiencing and communicating diverse feelings is healthy.
This approach feels vulnerable in itself—I’m practicing what I preach.