Why Emotional Autonomy Is Important

Sometimes words are hard to find and reclusion or tantrums are easier to perform. Feelings are really huge and exhausting. The inability to pinpoint or describe emotions, especially when upset, is an overwhelming experience for a child who is sad, angry, or at a loss for words. In these vulnerable times, they are still learning to navigate their hurt and joy - so we must be their compass.  Little humans need an outlet, a deep understanding, and a safe place for curiosity of self to journey freely.

Emotional Autonomy is partnering comprehension with validity. Do they understand what they feel? Can they give reason to why they feel that way? Is their response in/out of line with what they feel (hitting when sad/yelling when happy)? Helping our children to grasp and regulate their feelings can steer them toward healthy and independent self-evaluation as they get older. This Emotional Autonomy is nurtured best when correction comes with respect (& patience).

Acire's Journey to Forgiveness Mountain seeks to fill in the gap where unexpected events are too tough to handle, and the feelings they bring are too foreign to name.  We want to be an aid in your child’s emotional and mental independence.

How CDP Defines Forgiveness

FORGIVENESS is the multi-step act of letting go of the pain of our heavy emotions and being set free from the wrong things someone has done around, toward, or against us. Repeatedly calling to memory hurt so that we auto-program our behavior or response actually limits our ability to grow and go beyond situations. Forgiveness is discovery & acceptance of one’s emotions, it is unashamed self-examination, relational boundary setting, assessment of who/what has access to us going forward, and the final choice to try (love, friendship, trust, play, sharing, etc.) again.

For children, it may look like being able to verbally/non-verbally share the hurt felt from a situation, being allowed a period of time to be angry, sad, etc., asked what they would have liked to happen, considering what can be done now, and finally being challenged to make space for the hurt to heal (not hold a grudge) under an adult’s protective care (give love, check-in regularly, and set a healthy example).

We have the opportunity to teach children that if every time they are hurt they rise above the situation, then they have the ability to see how small their pain is compared to their joy - how beautiful the journey can be if they are allowed the time to unpack their emotions.

…because when we carry un-forgiveness, we are hurting ourselves the most. Un-forgiveness is backpacked hurt.