Is it good to feel uncomfortable from time to time?

I've been thinking about the word "uncomfortable" for a while.

Reflecting on times of growth throughout my life, I realized that many of those moments felt really uncomfortable.  They made me feel worried or nervous or anxious.  They made me wonder about what may happen and how I should react or respond.  However, once I worked through those moments, I felt a sense of accomplishment or confidence that I had not possessed previously.  Of course I wasn't successful every time, but I was able to learn something and apply that information to future experiences.

Children need these opportunities...gentle moments of feeling uncomfortable.  You, as a parent or teacher or caregiver, are there for encouragement and support, but not to rescue them or solve every experience that feels challenging to them.  Those teaching moments are valuable.  Help by giving language to their emotions and choices for potential solutions.  Or simple encouragement to "listen to their bodies" and "take a pause". 

Balancing when to help, when to hug, and when to listen so that they feel heard.

Change and growth is often uncomfortable...and many times involves making mistakes...which is the only way to figure things out and make progress.  You have probably heard the expression "Practice makes progress".   So, our role is to help the children in our lives work through these moments with options and strategies.  This matters!