Episode 5: Mental Feelings vs. Physical Feelings Ft. Kameron
We have all heard the infamous riddle, ‘Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.’ That has got to be the furthest thing from the truth. LET’S be REAL words hurt. Words are powerful and words can have a lasting effect on how we view ourselves. As children, we may have been unaware of how damaging the words of our peers could really be. As an adult, I am still plagued by some of the words spoken to me as an adolescent.
It is easy to brush off the comments made by our colleagues, family members, spouses, and friends. Whether intentional or not, words have a funny way of sticking to us. Feelings are real and emotions run deep. In the African American community, we are taught that as long as a person doesn’t physically harm us, it’s all GOOD! We are taught that words shouldn’t hurt as much as a punch to the face. We are told to ignore, to push past emotional pain and carry on as if nothing has happened. To display any type of emotion is a sign of weakness. As we embrace the need to become more empathetic towards Mental Health awareness, let us not forget that our children struggle with pushing pass unkind words spoken to them by their peers, their teachers and at times even us, their parents.
In this episode of Konvos with Kiya, Kameron and I engage in a very candid discussion on Mental feelings vs. Physical Feelings. We explore how the words of his peers affect him in school, the role teachers play, and how goal setting can or cannot be effective when in placed in a compromising position away from home.
Konvos with Kiya Conversation Starters from tonight’s episode:
How important is it for your peers to say kind things to you_________________
I say ___________________ to lift myself up when I’m feeling down.
Do you struggle with thinking positive things about/to yourself ______________
Konvos with Kiya To Do List with your children:
Create a list of qualities you love about your child. Share it with them!
Set goals together. (Ex., I will take time each day to say one kind thing to myself.)
Review your goals nightly as a family. (Goals should be reasonable, maybe 1-3 goals each week.)
TALK, TALK, TALK! Talk to your kids about their day! Ask questions, inquire about the types of conversations they are having at school.