---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many families actively discourage the…"
description: "\"“Many families actively discourage the expression of tough emotions like fear and anger. Happiness and tranquility, meanwhile, make it to the top of th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/john-medina-7046_child_many-families-actively-discourage-the-ex_1079095.jpg"
---

#  Many families actively discourage the expression of tough…

![“Many families actively discourage the expression of tough emotions like fear and anger. Happiness and tranquility, meanwhile, make it to the top of the list of “approved” emotions. There is no such thing as a bad emotion. There is no such thing as a good emotion. An emotion is either there—or it…” quote by John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/john-medina-7046_child_many-families-actively-discourage-the-ex_1079095.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/john-medina-7046_child_many-families-actively-discourage-the-ex_1079095.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/john-medina-7046_child_many-families-actively-discourage-the-ex_1079095.jpg)

> ““Many families actively discourage the expression of tough emotions like fear and anger. Happiness and tranquility, meanwhile, make it to the top of the list of “approved” emotions. There is no such thing as a bad emotion. There is no such thing as a good emotion. An emotion is either there—or it is not. These parents seem to know that emotions don’t make people weak and they don’t make people strong. They only make people human. The result is a savvy let-the-children-be-who-they-are attitude. -They do not judge emotions. -They acknowledge the reflexive nature of emotions. -They know that behavior is a choice, even though an emotion is not. -They see a crisis as a teachable moment.””

[John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Parents should accept all emotions, seeing them as human, not as good or bad, and use them as learning opportunities.

**In simple terms:** Accept emotions without judgment and teach children to handle them.

Key Takeaway

Teach children emotional acceptance and growth.

Themes

parenting emotional intelligence psychology

Mood

supportive reflective

Type

educational inspirational

When to use this quote

- Raising children
- school counseling
- family therapy
- personal development

Key Concepts

Emotion acceptance human nature behavioral choice

Questions to Reflect On

- How can parents model balanced emotional responses?
- What practices help children differentiate feeling from behavior?

A Different Perspective

Some cultures view certain emotions as negative, which can hinder emotional health.

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[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotions-and-attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-and-attitude/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/)

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