Self Acceptance for Parents

Many of us were raised on a diet of good manners and good grades.

And for some, that might have been at the cost of feeling safe to really be ourselves and make mistakes.

If we have a tendency to please others, it can be intimidating to be in the presence of someone who can express themselves genuinely and confidently.

This is what children do by nature. From babies, they're brilliant at attuning to their own signals and telling us about it. That is the very beginning of self confidence.

A parent who has learned to repress parts of their true selves might find it hard to receive those expressions in their kids.

Typically that leads us to try and fix, scold or distract our kids out of their feelings, as is typical for our culture

Over time, this can dampen a child's attempts at authentic expression in order to be perceived as good and lovable. And so the cycle continues.

For the next generation to be activists, change-makers and empathic leaders, we have to learn to accept and advocate for our children as they are.

This is the gateway to their self acceptance.

To knowing they belong.

To believing their worth doesn't lie in their behaviours.

Self acceptance is what leads children to have a go without fear, to ask questions and respectfully differ in opinion.

The place to start, always, is with your own self acceptance and freedom of expression.