He’s crying again…This time it’s not the broken cracker—it’s because his favorite dump truck shirt is in the wash. He’s only three, but still—this feels like too much.
“It’s not a big deal. Why are we doing this again?”
That familiar voice creeps in: “Maybe my mom is right. Maybe all this validating is making him soft.” (➡️COMMENT CRYING and my bot will send the link to the full article which includes: How to Set Limits and Still Validate Feelings From Toddler to Tween) 😅This is where so many parents start to second-guess themselves. They worry that empathizing will make their child whiny, overly sensitive, or unable to handle disappointment. 💫But here’s the truth:
Telling your child “It’s not a big deal” doesn’t build resilience. It tells them you don’t understand. And that disconnection often leads to louder tears—because now they’re not just upset about the shirt.
They’re trying to show you that it is a big deal to them. As both a parent and an early childhood educator, I want to...