When my four-year-old begged me not to leave him alone with his grandmother, I feared the worst. Instead of ignoring his fears or jumping to conclusions, I listened, asked questions, and discovered that a frightening misunderstanding—and an adult who hadn’t realized its impact—had been quietly eroding his sense of safety. Sometimes the most important thing a parent can do is simply believe a child’s feelings and gently uncover the truth.
The first time my son cried when my mother-in-law came to babysit, I told myself he was simply going through a clingy phase. He was four. Children develop new fears …
When my four-year-old begged me not to leave him alone with his grandmother, I feared the worst. Instead of ignoring his fears or jumping to conclusions, I listened, asked questions, and discovered that a frightening misunderstanding—and an adult who hadn’t realized its impact—had been quietly eroding his sense of safety. Sometimes the most important thing a parent can do is simply believe a child’s feelings and gently uncover the truth. Read More
