You have a voice, learn to use it

raising children with the ability to communicate is harder than I thought. You say what you feel, those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
That's one motto I like, not that I always feel that way, I do think sometimes it matters, but in most cases when we speak up and speak out, we are most importantly "Heard"
"God gave us voices and we should use them" (something I have been telling my kids forever) We are advocates for ourselves, we are to be sure to get the most out of this life HE set before us and learning to have a voice is important. In learning to have a voice you also learn to communicate with those around you. Letting someone know your feelings, about yourself, a situation, or about someone that is around you.
Then to top it alllll off, teaching a male, a soon to be man to speak up for help, for explanation, for healing, for release.
When you start to speak you need SOME thought behind your words, but more important those words will have feelings attached to them, and power, energy, they can have wisdom and healing. What you say can break someones spirit or change the world for good.
If you feel it then say it. Speak the truth, speak it often when you are in my home children. "honesty is the best policy" (another one of mom's sayings, I have many) Know that if no one else can handle what you have to say, then you can say it to God. He knows it already, your words are not going to fall on deaf ears with him. Your words can also bring healing to yourself once spoken, amazing how you can move past pain when you speak out, bring the feelings from deep inside up up up and out into the world to let go of, to lay it out.
I am trying to teach my children that your words are for you to use. Use them wisely and know that we are here to hear you, sometimes you have to speak louder so that I am with you, a whisper for help in a loud world will not be heard.
This world is our playground and we all deserve a chance at it. I pray that we all have the words we need when we need to use them. I pray God shows us how to use our words for promoting us in our lives, to bring us closer to him. Bring us closer to who HE wants us to be.
My children can have pain and as I teach and show them how to work through life with words and communication and see that pain can and will work its way out of their mouths. I saw honesty come from Brenden, one he had been holding on to and as he said the truth, let the honesty come forward, the tears fell down his face, and a relief washed over him, let me tell you it is a like a beautiful sunrise. A new day to begin again, a fresh start. It was healing, and instead of punishment I used it as a teaching, the truth can set you free, you can always tell me the truth. I pray he will continue to do so.