Children as Reflective Mirrors: What They Teach Us About Ourselves

My son repeated the word "Dei"(tamil) I used to call him. It was my command word now and my dad's intimidating word back then. His voice echoed it back. Each time my son said

the word 'dei' I felt like a sharp sting. My heart aches, muscle tightened, . I hated that word now. I never noticed its edge before. My son’s innocent, defiant tone showed it to me. I got angry. I told him to stop. He grinned and said it louder. His words sparked my nerves.

My ego flared up. I saw his defiance as a challenge. I raised my voice. He pushed back harder. Our words clashed like swords. I felt him slipping away. The warmth between us faded. A cold wall grew. My heart ached with disconnection. I hated this distance. It hurt more than the word itself.

Then I stopped. My inner child spoke softly. She remembered harsh words from long ago. She felt small and scared. That old hurt woke up in me. I took a few deep breaths and connected to my Inner-child. I answered my Inner-child, “oh my dear I see you, I hear you. I’m here now.I got it, you are safe.I love you!!”

Conscious parenting guided me. I breathed deeply. My anger melted. I saw my son wasn’t just copying me. He was my mirror. He showed my flaws, my habits. Tears filled my eyes. I softened. I held my son close. That moment healed me. It mended my inner child, too.The word no longer feels like a knife.

#innerchildhealing

Sangeetha