Parents want their kids to trust them. They want to be the first person their child turns to with the big stuff, the hard stuff, and the exciting stuff. They want their kids to feel safe enough to ask questions and share emotions.
But none of that happens automatically, and trust doesn’t come from simply saying, “You can talk to me.”
Instead, you go first. Be open and honest. Show them how to navigate uncomfortable emotions and difficult situations. Model it.
This sounds simple, but parents don’t always know how to put it into practice. Here are six things you can do every day to build trust with your child:
a dual-certified child life specialist and therapist, I support families through some of the most difficult conversations imaginable — including illness, hospitalization, trauma, and loss. I’ve learned that these moments are easier when kids are exposed to open communication every day, not just when life gets hard.
When kids see adults naming and sharing their own feelings, they learn it’s okay to do the same. It gives them quiet, unwritten permission to open up, too.
This might sound like: “I’m feeling a little worried that we’re going to be late for school and work. Let’s work together.”
It’s about modeling. When we name emotions out loud — both the good and the uncomfortable — we teach our kids that feelings aren’t something to hide.
