With the New Year here, we are all thinking about the past year and what we are going to do in the new year. Apparently, so is my 6 year old son, Elijah. Tonight, he came downstairs when he was suppose to be sleeping. He started crying, so we knew something was up.
He said he was sad because he was thinking about all of the good times he has had in his life and that they are gone. When we asked what, he didn’t have any examples, “just good times”. We asked if there was something he missed, something he use to do that he wanted to do now. He said no, then added, “Go swimming”. Don’t we all miss Summer right about now?
We explained to him that is is ok to think about all of the good times we’ve had and remember them. We also explained to him that he has a lot of life to do more good things and have more fun time.
We told him were are all on the same boat. He asked, “What boat?” The boat of life. Time goes by so quickly, especially the older we get. We gotta cherish the moments of today and anticipate the fun times ahead. It’s okay to remember the past, but not good to try to live in the past – even for 6 year olds.
Once we told him that we are all in the same boat and reminded him of the fun things that 2012 will bring him, including swimming in the Summer, he felt better. Sometimes, I don’t really think that my kids are thinking or worrying about such thought-provoking issues, but they do. Our kids see, hear, and know more than we give them credit for. That is why it is so important for us grown-ups (who are suppose to know what is going on) to be strong for our kids, watch what we say around them, and be there for them so they can express their feelings, fears, and concerns.
This is at age 6, I don’t know what it will be like at 16. I just hope that my kids understand how much we love and care about them at every age and that they feel good about confiding in us. Nobody ever teaches parents about how to talk with kids or how to keep that line of communication open through childhood and teenage years.
Moms, do you have any advice on how to talk with kids that has worked for you?
