Reasons why a child may not share their feelings with their parents

From dismissing their feelings to not being a good listener, here are some mistakes that parents make which makes children refrain from sharing their feelings.

Parenting is tricky. With time, it gets complicated as we try to ensure that we provide the best for our children, while making sure that they learn the values and the skills needed to navigate through life in the later years. However, emotional stability in children is of utmost importance as it will further impact their physical and mental growth. Addressing this, Psychotherapist Emily H Sanders wrote, regardless of your parenting philosophy or approach, making a point of listening to your child and validating their feelings is key. This helps create a closeness and safety within your child that will help them weather the ups and downs of your parenting."

Reasons why a child may not share their feelings with their parents (istockphoto)

At all times, parents should ensure that the emotions and the feelings of the children are validated. This will help in better bonding and closeness with the children and will make them feel safer in the company of their parents as well. But sometimes, children may refrain from sharing their feelings with their parents. Here why:

Burden: Sometimes children become conscious of the worries that they may put on their parents. Hence, they refrain from sharing their honest feelings so as to not bother the parents with their feelings.

Busy: parents may seem too busy for their children to approach them – hence, the children stop themselves from sharing their feelings.

Problem: Sometimes, all that a child is asking for is to be heard. In most cases, parents try to solve the problems of the children, rather than lending an ear to them.

Dismiss: Parents sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, dismiss the way their children feel – this makes the children refrain from sharing things with their parents.

Checking in: Parents should check in on the problem once their children share their problems. This will help in creating more bonding and understanding. This will also make the child more comfortable in bringing up such issues with their parents.