Should i cry in front of my kids

My mother isn't a cold person by any means; she's very loving and gentle, and at 64, she cries often now. But I wonder if she thought that we, her children, would worry at the sight of her tears. Maybe she tried her hardest to put on a brave face, functioning as a single mother for so many years.

Either way, the message I received was clear: if mama is crying, it is serious. Now that I'm a mama myself, I've decided it's OK to let my children see me cry. I'm an emotional, sentimental person by nature, so tears are natural to me. I cry when I'm inspired, when I'm happy, sad, angry, frustrated, grateful—all of it translates to tears welling up my eyes.

Despite this, whenever my children witness me crying, I can't help but notice the alarm in their faces. I assure them that I'll be just fine and mama just "needs a moment. They extend kindness and empathy toward me by hugging me, patting me on the arm, holding my hand, praying with me or they will simply sit in quiet solitude with me.

Their mere presence is comforting and I'm deeply grateful. News U. Politics Joe Biden Congress Extremism. Special Projects Highline. HuffPost Personal Video Horoscopes. Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. Children, especially younger ones, are essentially egocentric. That means not hiding your tears, but also not subjecting kids to extreme anger or sadness. Rather than demonstrating the natural inclination to comfort a loved one in a moment of emotion, a child may begin to bear the burden of making the parent feel better.

If they do offer comfort, thank your child with a big grin and let them know that you are OK and have other adults around to support you. Last week, after a stressful day, I felt that familiar sensation in my chest and cheeks.

The tears came, and this time, instead of fighting the feeling, I greeted it with humor. Product Reviews. Home Ideas. As Krystal M. Life isn't all rainbows and lollipops. Becoming familiar with different emotions is important. And, they always know when their mom is upset anyway. Our Family newsletter is a little parenting cheat sheet, delivered to your inbox daily. Avoid Meltdowns Circle of Moms members agree that there's a major difference between weeping and freaking out in a major meltdown.

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