I dislike it when you hear a parent tell their child to ‘get over it’. What exactly are they telling their child to get over? – their feelings, the situation? Are they saying ‘move on’ or ‘stop moaning, that’s just the way it is.’ For me, telling a child to ‘get over it’ dismisses their feelings and what they are thinking or struggling with isn’t such a big deal. It tells them that we are not treating the situation or their wants/needs seriously and that we expect them to address the situation in a more mature manner than they can. Remember they are children and will often dwell on situations. It is not so easy for them to address their feelings in a mature manner (I know adults can too) and what we really want parents to do is acknowledge children’s feelings.
Acknowledge Children’s Feelings And Work With Them
I think many parents would call this tough love and I guess it is the right expression. I believe it can make children resentful, can create bigger feelings of anger at the person who is telling them to ‘get over it’ and feel punished for wanting to express themselves. I prefer supportive love where you listen to your child’s complaint/moan, empathise, discuss the situation and move on. When we work with our children’s meltdowns, we are teaching them how to communicate effectively, how to regulate their emotions and how to move onto a better place. These are all life skills that they are going to need to manage on their own when older. So let’s stop using the phrase and expecting children to ‘get over it’ and start to acknowledge their feelings and discuss how they might fix their problem or make themselves feel better. Let them recognise and acknowledge children’s feelings and let them move on when they are ready.
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