As children, we experience many messages designed to tell us that emotional states are either positive or negative. 'Positive' emotions such as happiness, laughter and love are encouraged. However 'negative' emotions such as pain, fear, sadness and anger are discouraged with parents telling their children “stop crying” or “it doesn’t hurt that much” or “stop being a baby”. Often there is an element of bribery with the child being promised something positive in return for suppressing this “negative” emotional state.
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