Home / Child How to be a parent your child wants to talk to Knowing the difference between sympathy and empathy can make all of the difference. By Erin Leonard September 17, 2018 Rectangle As a child therapist, the most common complaint I hear from parents is, “He just won’t talk to me.” Feeling estranged from your own child is painful, and it has implications for the child. Research indicates the most important predictor of a child’s emotional and psychological stability is the closeness of the parent/child relationship. If a child is not opening up when they are upset, the relationship may not as close as it needs to be. There are two habits that parents’ routinely engage in that shut down communication and drive a child away: negating feelings and mistaking sympathy for empathy. You might also like: How empathy (even during meltdowns!) can actually teach your kids to do the right thing How to teach your toddler empathy How to parent with more empathy + grace Categories: Child, Health & Wellness, Parenting, Relationships Related articles Viral & Trending Why this dad refused to punish his son for bullying—and what he did instead January 7, 2025 Parenting Having trouble getting your kid to listen? Try using positive consequences February 3, 2024 News Why 35 million people are obsessed with this dad and daughter dance party to ‘Despacito’ January 23, 2025 Parenting Have we gotten too gentle in gentle parenting? December 13, 2024 News Scarlett Johansson on iPhones for kids: ‘I’d rather her wait until she’s an adult’ November 27, 2024