Display rules stigmatize normal, natural human emotions and lead us to believe that we must emotionally perform a certain way in order to be accepted in the world. Many of us grow up believing that our most challenging emotions (like sadness) must be hidden away. This often leads to adults being comfortable with only a select few emotions and much less so with others. Here are some ways you can begin to dismantle display rules as a parent or caregiver.
For more on display rules and parenting, here’s a relevant newsletter.
Susan David
Susan David, Ph.D. is one of the world’s leading management thinkers and an award-winning Harvard Medical School psychologist. Her TED Talk on the topic of emotional agility has been seen by more than 10 million people. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal and often appears on national radio and television. Learn more.
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