In a time when the innocence of our sweet children is under attack, their feelings couldn’t be more important.
I’m not sure how familiar you may be with current circumstances, but social media news has been flooded with warnings to protect your children from newly-discovered dangers hiding among “safe” media and programming for children.
Of course, this isn’t really anything new. Parents have been concerned about what hides in the shadows of the internet since it became a household reality. And let’s just be real – sin has existed in this world almost as long as we have. Technology has just allowed these dangers a proximity that they’ve never had before. Guarding innocence isn’t new to any of us, but in this day and age we must be extra diligent to keep our sweet babies safe from the cruelties that exist on the other side of the screen.
Guarding innocence isn’t new to any of us, but in this day and age we must be extra diligent to keep our sweet babies safe from the cruelties that exist on the other side of the screen.
Appropriately enough, the first Friday in March is the National Day of Unplugging. So in ironic honor of this little-known holiday, I’d like to encourage you to unplug (after you finish reading this blog) and read a book! And not just any book, but a book that will encourage your littles to understand and be mindful of their feelings.
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek walks through feelings in a fun and adorably illustrated way. It touches on common feelings and a few that maybe aren’t as often included, like hope and silliness.
Christine Roussey has brought these feelings to life with her illustrations. The pages are fun and carefree with illustrations reminiscent of childhood excitement. The page cutouts and recognizable shapes and colors keep it interactive for the littlest of readers, and the content is as charming as it is important.
It’s increasingly vital that our kiddos know how to identify and understand their feelings. As a parent, I pray that my girl will be able to communicate with me when she needs help navigating her feelings. I won’t always be in a position to anticipate what she’s dealing with, so I want to make sure that feelings aren’t taboo in our home.
So unplug and go spend some time with your littles. Read some books and don’t be afraid to talk about feelings. Encourage them to recognize how they feel and bravely share it with the ones they love. Let loving communication be abundant in your family, and may innocence keep a foothold in your home.
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