Our children are learning and processing so much information and they don’t know what to do with all of these new feelings that come up. I try to remember to make sure my daughter knows it’s OK that she feels deeply. It’s not embarrassing to me when she throw tantrums in the grocery store, or screams on a plane. I’m her dad…not yours.
Let’s not be embarrassed for our children. It doesn’t reflect on you. In fact.. we should probably be a little more kind and patient with ourselves too. If we got out everything we were feeling and allowed ourselves to throw tantrums and cry when we felt the need to then maybe we’d could also let ourselves feel more joy and happiness. And that is something this world could definitely use a little more of.”
Now amassing nearly 150,000 likes, comments, and shares, Justin’s words of fatherly wisdom have struck a powerful chord with parents across the country.
Several have even commented that the lack of judgment portrayed by onlookers in the photo helped ease their own anxieties about public “freak outs” with their kiddos.
Kudos to this bold, loving daddy for showing us all that it’s OK to shake off the shame of being imperfect parents, and most of all, that it’s OK for your kids to be kids.