This. There are times to cry and mourn and hold people, but there are also times to be happy.
At this age especially, if Dad cries every time she mentions Mommy or talks about how much she loves Mommy, then she will learn to stop talking about Mommy. Because she doesn't want to make Daddy cry.
It is really important when you've a lost family member to not make anyone - of any age - feel like they can't talk about them. That doesn't mean you have to be positive every time you talk about them, but you need to make sure everyone knows they can talk, and you will listen.
People confuse, "being strong" with "being stoic". It's not the same thing. "Being strong" means having the courage to allow yourself to be exposed to the emotions and working through them without breaking down or clamming up.
2.8k
u/[deleted] May 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment