When They Talk to You About Their Brains

I was on a walk with daughter, 5, today. I like to go on walks alone, on occasion. But I couldn’t get out the door. She became hysterical and wanted to go with me. I finally broke down and let her. It’s so hot, anyway, that I didn’t think she would make it terribly far. We got up to the hill by our house and I could tell she was hot. I asked if she wanted to turn around and she readily said yes.

On the way down, she asked me if I preferred walking with her or going alone. I said I liked both, depending on context. I liked talking with her but “sometimes I like to walk alone to clear my thoughts.” She said she did too. She explained that “it was being cut right now.” I asked, “what is being cut? Your head?” She said, “No, my thoughts. They were right up here but now they are cut. And actually they are behind me. They are following me. It’s my memories.”

I was totally stunned. This is exactly the process of processing thoughts. They are right in your head, putting pressure on you, then you process them, then they get safety stored somewhere, “cut,” but “still behind you.”

It’s such a powerful thing to talk to them directly about thinking, emotions, and brain growth.

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