Tapping with Kids
Brad Yates
www.bradyates.net
It almost goes without saying that tapping is a great way to help kids feel better when they experience uncomfortable emotions such as fear, sadness and anger. Since so many of the issues that limit our health, wealth and/or happiness today can be linked back to experiences that occurred in our childhood, tapping can also have a profound positive impact on the quality of their lives overall, enhancing their long-term joy and success.
Getting Yourself Clear
When deciding to tap with children, perhaps one of the best things you can do for them is to get clear yourself. If the intention is to “fix” the child, or clear something in them so that you can feel better, the effectiveness of the process may be limited. This is especially true if the child feels you are tapping with them because they are in trouble, and they may feel defensive.
Ask yourself, “Why do I want to tap with this child?” See if any of the answers lead to a possible tapping round for yourself, such as:
“Even though I want to fix him …”
“Even though I’m hurting for her …”
“Even though these kids are driving me crazy …”
Get as clear as you can so that your intention is truly for the child’s highest good.
Building Rapport
For many children, interacting with an adult can be intimidating – especially if the child is already in a compromised emotional state. While tapping can help ease this, it also helps to build rapport with the child first so that they are more willing to engage – and engage more fully - in the process.
How to best build rapport will vary with different children, but some of the things you can do include:
