Take Kinsley’s Advice and Trust Your Gut
Begin teaching kids advice early on to trust their gut. Teach them what their intuition is, why it’s essential, and how it comes into play in their lives! Although physical self-defence might not be attainable to everyone due to certain limitations, intuition is a universal tool that even young children can rely on, mainly if cultivated early. Research indicates that children possess a remarkable level of intuition, often surpassing that of adults. Exploring the factors that may undermine a child’s intuitive abilities might be interesting, allowing us to gain insights as parents, teachers, role models, and adults to diminish the decline.
#1 – Forced Hugs & Kisses – As a child, you may have experienced, or as a parent, you may have done something that seemed right at the time. You recently had a gathering with your family or friends. As the day winds down and everyone prepares to leave, your family members exchange goodbyes. Uncle Frank approaches one of the children to give them a loving hug or kiss. However, the child hesitates and retreats, even hiding behind their mom or dad, grasping onto their leg. The parent steps in, urging or commanding them to show politeness by hugging their uncle.
While teaching children kindness is commendable and often essential, allowing them to develop their instincts about people is equally important. Although I am not implying that Uncle Frank has any bad intent (although it is worth noting that most cases of abuse occur within the family or by someone known to the child), nurturing your child’s ability to recognize and trust their intuition is crucial.
While this situation I’m describing is just one example, it is essential to highlight that repeated similar experiences can gradually erode a child’s trust in their instincts and lead them to conform to the opinions of adults, which will carry on into their youth and adulthood. Regrettably, there are instances where parents promote this agenda not to instill kindness but somewhat out of fear of being perceived as inadequate parents. The discomfort and awkwardness created by their child not reciprocating the hug become more significant in preserving their image, outweighing the valuable life lesson the child could have learned.
As parents, we guide, teach, and support our children as they develop a sense of safety, security, and self-confidence. However, never ignoring or dismissing their intuition and feelings cannot be overstated. In the case of Uncle Frank, although the child may decide on a different response in the future, it should be based on their trust and permission to express affection on their terms.
For the rest of this blog post, visit Unlock The Power of Your Child’s Intuition – Safe International Self Defence & Violence Prevention
Keep SAFE!
Chris Roberts
www.safeinternational.biz