Empath Parents. We love our kids so much it hurts (sometimes). But honestly, we are built for this job. Top tier nurturers. Hard wired for the emotional long haul of parenthood. We’re with you through thick and thin, kids, 110%. And we will hold your hand, be at your side, and help you grow. In fact, we will both grow.
The emotional connection between an empath parent and their child is very strong. This bond will provide your child with stability – especially during turbulent times. Because you are a constant, Empath Parent. You are your child’s lighthouse. You are the light in the storm. The safe haven. The constant beacon. Your child will know that they can count on you during any storm….and there will be storms.
I’ve had 3 children – one in my twenties, one in my thirties, and one in my forties. They are all different, and I was at a different stage of my life for each one of them. I had specific joys and sorrows. They had specific joys and sorrows. And yet, we continued to grow together. We still do. Because we are emotionally connected for life.
My dad used to say “Girls grow when you let go.” (This is true for boys, too.) This is a hard one for Empath Parents. Just as our children need to learn to walk on their own and stand up when they fall, they also need to learn to handle their own ups and downs. We can support them, but we need to let them own their own feelings. We would rather take on their hurts to protect them, but we can’t and we shouldn’t. (I was told this point blank by a very wise man.) Our children need to take ownership of their own feelings and circumstances to be resilient and to learn strength. We need to let them.
And remember, they have been watching you over the years. They have lived with you, Empath Parent. Your children know how strong you are. They have seen you through adversity and all its accoutrements, and they know that when you feel it all and you move through it all, you will come out on the other side.
So be a forever lighthouse for your children. Let them walk the beaches with you, but also teach them to sail. For they are on their own journeys. And your light that sparked theirs can always beckon them home.