Do I periodically ask my child if I’ve done anything that hurt their feelings or made them nervous?

Parents are often shocked to find out about forgotten situations where they hurt their child’s feelings. In most cases, the parent didn’t realize the child had any negative feelings. You may remember moments from your own childhood when a parent hurt your feelings, but you never mentioned it. Have these events continued to build resentment?

Uncovering and repairing these situations is an important step to maintaining a close relationship.

Be careful not to get defensive. Listen quietly and prepare to repair (e.g., apologizing, empathizing, hugging, etc.).