So I was out to eat and this child(maybe 3 years old) in the booth next to us started crying loudly. The mom tried to calm him down but he started to go into tantrum mode and fussed even more. So she picked him up and walked out of the restaurant to a bench outside our window. We could hear her ask him, “look at me, what’s upsetting you?” To which he responded with more crying. So she says, “Well you’re clearly overwhelmed, so we’re going to sit out here and take a break until you can compose yourself and tell me what’s wrong.” Which is exactly what happened after a couple minutes. Anyways I just think it’s so good to speak to your children in a logical, respectful manner instead of shushing them and leaving them to deal with their stress alone.
what’s fucked up is that I’m so used to parents treating their kids like shit that I can’t even read that “well your clearly overwhelmed” in a tone of voice that’s not sarcastic and demeaning. and like, objectively, I know that not only could you say those exact words in a very matter-of-fact, even gracious tone, but it’s just. so. rare. that I’m having trouble imagining what that would sound like.