01/02/2026
We forget sometimes —
because they talk like us, argue like us,
and push back like us —
that they are not like us. Not yet.
Children are not mini adults.
Their brains are still forming.
Their nervous systems are still calibrating.
Their sense of self, their impulse control,
their ability to see another's perspective —
it's all still under construction.
The brain doesn't finish developing until
well into the twenties.
And the parts responsible for
emotional regulation,
understanding consequences,
and empathy?
They're among the last to mature.
So when we expect them to behave
with the steadiness of someone fully grown,
we're not setting a boundary —
we're setting them up.
They need space to be loud,
impulsive, reactive, and real.
Not because they're choosing to be difficult,
but because they're still developing the tools to do anything else.
Every meltdown,
every pushback,
every wobble
is a chance to learn, not a sign of failure.
Let them be little.
That's where the real growth begins. ❤️
