Protecting Our Children: Intuition, Energy Awareness & Hope for the Future

Children are growing up in a world filled with more stimulation, technology, social pressure, fear-based messaging, and energetic intensity than ever before. In this heartfelt episode of Inspiring Hope, Lois Hermann is joined by Sharon Hoffman and host Jill Nicolini for an important conversation about protecting our children, honoring their intuition, and helping them stay connected to their inner guidance.

Lois shares a powerful moment from years ago in Japan, when she heard the message, “Take care of my children.” That message became a deeper reminder that children are our future—and that each of us also carries an inner child who needs protection, healing, and care.

Sharon brings her wisdom as both an Energy Clearing & Alignment Communicator and a deeply involved Oma, or grandmother, of two young teens. She shares how listening, asking gentle questions, taking children on adventures, and meeting them where they are can open the door to trust, communication, and spiritual growth.

Together, Lois, Sharon, and Jill explore how children and teens are affected by technology, social media, peer pressure, anxiety, processed foods, and the fears carried by the adults around them. They also discuss the importance of teaching children to trust when something feels off, encouraging their creativity, helping them connect with nature, and supporting sensitive or intuitive children without dismissing what they sense.

This episode is a reminder for parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers, and lightworkers that children are often more aware than we realize. When we listen with our hearts, protect their energy, and help them stay connected to imagination, nature, intuition, and divine guidance, we help them become strong, discerning, and empowered human beings.

In this episode, we explore:

 How children absorb the energy of the world around them.
 Why parents and grandparents need to trust when something feels off.
 How social media and technology affect young minds and emotions.
 The importance of listening without judgment.
 How grandparents can support children with time, wisdom, and spiritual insight.
 Why children need creativity, nature, life skills, and sacred space.
 How to protect sensitive, intuitive, crystal, and rainbow children.
 Why children are not only our future, but some of our greatest teachers.

Learn more at LoisHermann.com.

Learn more about the Academy of Light and Energy Clearing & Alignment at LoisHermann.com

Transcript

Welcome to Inspiring Hope with Lois Hermann, a podcast that explores protection, healing, and personal empowerment through meaningful conversations and real-life stories. If you’re sensitive, intuitive, or seeking clarity in this busy world, you’ve come to the right place.

Jill:
Today’s show is about something every parent, grandparent, teacher, and caregiver can relate to—children. Our children are growing up in a world filled with more stimulation, more pressure, more technology, and more energetic intensity than ever before.

Today, we are excited to have Lois Hermann back with her friend and guest, Sharon Hoffman. They are going to explore why protection matters, how intuition can guide us when something feels off, and how families can support sensitive children and teens with greater awareness, compassion, and hope.

Thank you both for being here.

Lois, I know you often say children are our future. Tell us a little bit about why that is so important, especially right now, and how we should be protecting our children.

Lois:
Exactly. Hi, Jill. I’m glad to be back here.

Children are our future. Many years ago, I was standing in front of this great big statue of Buddha in Japan, and I heard this voice say, “Take care of my children.”

I thought, “What on earth was that?” Then I ignored it, and I heard it again: “Take care of my children.”

At first, I thought, “Oh my gosh, I guess I’m supposed to focus on children.” But you know what? Each one of us has a child inside of us. We have to take care of our own inner child, and we also have to take care of the children in our circle and in our sphere.

That could mean our children or grandchildren. It could mean being a teacher or caregiver. It could even mean simply seeing children playing and asking, “How can we be good guardians and good stewards of these beautiful children who are so inquisitive, so open, and so much more intuitive than we often give them credit for?”

One of the things I have learned from working with so many adults in hypnosis is that they often go back to when they were a child. So many times, people did not give them credit for knowing what they knew.

What I have learned is that we should teach these beautiful children as if they are wise little adults, like sponges drawing in all this information.

I have with me today my friend and associate, and an amazing Oma of some young teens. Sharon is an amazing Communicator on our team and a very inspirational Oma in the way she is helping to facilitate the raising of her grandchildren.

Welcome, Sharon. What would you like to say about why our children are important?

Sharon:
Thank you so much for inviting me today, Lois and Jill.

Children are just so brilliant. I think that is the best way to describe them. If you just watch them and listen to them—mostly listen to them—you can know how to help them, how to assist them, and how they will assist you.

I think we, as parents, and me as a parent before I was an Oma, were always directing. Now I think it is more about listening to each individual child and then assisting.

Lois:
Encouraging them to talk and to share.

Sharon:
Yes.

Lois:
Even with adult children—my children are in their late thirties and early forties now—I am still learning to pause and listen to them as they navigate adulthood. They are still children in their hearts, searching and learning. We all are.

So many times, when you are working with children, parents feel that something is off or something is going on, but they do not know what to do about it.

Sharon, you are dealing with young people who are attempting to navigate this crazy world we live in, with so much social media. There was peer pressure back when I was growing up, but nowadays, with cell phones and everything else, it is so much more intense.

I remember falling down the stairs in high school in my miniskirt. People laughed at me, but nowadays somebody would probably record it and plaster it all over social media. That is a lot. They are dealing with a lot, aren’t they?

Sharon:
That is really significant—the online world that is happening now. The teasing happens online, and it causes a lot of issues, especially with preteens. I would say ages nine, ten, maybe even eleven, because their peers are judging them and not being kind.

They do not always have a sense of kindness or how to react. I do not know if it is because their parents have not taught them, or because they are learning strange ways to handle problems from friends, YouTube, Snapchat, or whatever else they are watching.

Maybe they watch someone on YouTube handle a problem in a way that is not kind. I have seen that happen with mine. I have had to say, “No, that is not how you react when somebody says something like that to you.”

But you have to catch it, and you have to ask them, “Why did you react that way?” Instead of just accusing them, find out why. Why did they do that?

Lois:
And Jill, you have young boys. What are your thoughts about being a young parent raising children right now?

Jill:
It is rough. I am going to be honest. It is about the devices, the phones, the social media, the people they are contacting, and even their friends.

You look at what they are saying, and sometimes they are talking inappropriately to their friends when they should not be. Then you worry about who else may come in and try to do damage, lure them, or say they have something for them.

On a separate note, I have a niece in North Carolina. She is thirteen, and she learned a very hard lesson because videotaping is available and people are on social media.

Like you mentioned, Lois, if you had fallen down the steps, it could have been recorded. Well, my niece was involved with a young boy, doing things that twelve- and thirteen-year-olds should not be doing. One of the friends videotaped it and sent it around the school.

Now there are legal issues because it involves minors and inappropriate material being distributed. It is like, what is going on?

This device—I know there are laws they are trying to pass, perhaps nationwide or here in New York, about limits on devices. Of course, it is up to parents’ discretion, but I love the fact that here in New York, children are not allowed to have a cell phone in school. If they get caught, there are strict penalties. I know New Jersey has not done that yet. I do not know about where you are.

Lois:
It is hard because they are raised with it. Look at young children, even two-year-olds. They have tablets, and they are focused on the tablets instead of using their hands to play with things, play in the dirt, use their imagination, and create with sticks.

They are online and focused on computer things, and that can be detrimental to their creativity and their physical development.

You have boys, Jill, and Sharon, you have a young boy in your life. They need to be out there doing boy things, rolling around, getting mischievous, and playing, instead of just using their thumbs on a tablet.

Jill:
Absolutely.

You mentioned, Lois, that you tell people to pay attention when something feels off. How can we learn to really trust our intuition when it comes to our children?

Sharon:
Good question.

I think it is about how well you know them, how well you listen to them, how many questions you ask, and how you feel in your stomach if you sense something.

Mine have issues with being demanded to tell something. A parent might say, “You have got to tell me what is going on with you.” That is not listening.

Listen with your heart and your soul. Maybe ask questions like, “Why did you go to school?” or “Why do you like that?” or “Why did you draw that in your artwork? What does that mean to you?” or “Why did you write that down?” or “Why were you crying when you came home today?”

But do it without being demanding.

Trust that you know something is off because this is your child or your grandchild. Keep persisting gently, and trust that they will let you know.

Lois:
One of the things I have observed in what you do a lot, Sharon—and maybe you do this as well, Jill—is that you often take them on adventures.

When children are on adventures and actively involved in something, that may create an opportunity for them to share what is going on. It is less confrontational and less demanding. You are getting them to experience life, share things, and answer questions like, “What do you think about this?”

That keeps their minds engaged and feeds their inquisitiveness.

Sharon:
Yes. My granddaughter sometimes starts singing a song. She always listens to music, and I might ask, “Why do you like that song? Is it the words? Is it the music?”

My grandson likes WWE and has all these WWE figures. I might ask, “Why do you have so many figures? What are they to you? Are they warriors? Are they protecting you?” That is what I may think they are, but to him, they are something he plays with.

Lois:
So you get them to talk about their interests. In the process, they are sharing what is going on in their life, and then you are paying attention.

Jill:
Those are simple things to help our kids talk to us, especially when they feel uncomfortable. Doing an activity together or something like that can help, for sure.

Lois:
And listening, as you were saying, Sharon. Listen without judgment. We have to learn to put aside judgment because we do not always know what is causing it.

Like you were talking about your niece, Jill. Instead of shaming her, we can recognize that she got caught in a social situation. In many ways, she is a victim. It is all in how we handle it.

Sharon:
One thing that was very helpful to me as a tool was your NLP class, Lois. It helped with communication. It was a great asset for me in communicating with my grandchildren in many ways.

For example, sometimes my grandson will go upside down and start talking to me. He might sit on the stairs with his head on the lower stair or upper stair. So what I tend to do is get on the stairs in the same position and start talking to him from that same place.

I get into that same eye level that he is at, and it works. He starts sharing.

Lois:
It is true, Sharon. Right now, I do everything online, but when I used to have an office and children would come in, I was often sitting on the floor with them, down at their level.

You mirror their energy. In neurolinguistic programming, or NLP, that mirroring lets them know you are paying attention. You get into a vibe with them. Once you get into that vibe, they are more likely to share little things.

The more you listen and acknowledge what they are saying, the more they are likely to share, instead of shutting down.

I know that, as busy moms, we come home from work and have to get the homework done, get supper on the table, and do so many things. However, it is so important to take time to listen—truly listen. Like you said, Sharon, listen from your heart.

Jill:
Children and teens are exposed to so much, as we mentioned—social pressure, technology, fear-based messaging, and confusion. From your perspective, how is all of this affecting their energy?

Lois:
They are like sponges. They pick up on it if Mom is upset, if Mom is nervous, or if Dad is worried about what they are doing in school.

I do not know about you, Jill or Sharon, but when I was a kid, it was, “Go outside and play until the streetlights come on.” That gave Mom time to do what she needed to do without children underfoot.

We got into mischief, for sure, but it was simple mischief. Some people got into more challenging mischief, but there was not the same level of fear that is out there today.

A parent in this day and age will usually not send their children out unsupervised because of so much pressure. Often it is from the media, but there are also many things in our world that cause parents to be fearful.

The child picks up on that fear. They are in that same energetic rhythm as the parent. More children seem to have anxiety-type problems than they used to because they are picking up on fear.

As you were saying earlier, Sharon, they are so aware.

Sharon:
Yes, they are. That is really difficult for young parents today because you cannot just let your child go over to a friend’s house and play. You have to check out the mom, the grandparent, the car—everything.

There are so many things. I feel for young parents, I really do. You are working all these hours, and then your kids come home from school and they are tired. It is a lot.

Lois:
And when my parents were growing up, they had more wholesome food. Nowadays, so much of the prepackaged food is less than healthy, too. The busy mom is reaching for something to put on the table.

I can look back at raising my children many years ago. For me, a good meal was macaroni and cheese, beans, and some fish sticks. Now when I look at the labels on that stuff, I think, “Holy cow, what was I feeding these children?”

That sort of food also affects their mind and body. Sharon, as a personal trainer, you also see how important it is to feed our bodies, minds, and spirits healthy food. It is hard as a parent.

So I am curious, Sharon. How do you handle the kids with all the junk food addictions that are out there now?

Sharon:
We call it malnutrition.

If you do not have the support of the parent, you are on the outside trying to bring in good food. They may not do it because Mom says, “I do not have to do that. I have stuff in my refrigerator. I do not need to eat your stuff.”

Parents are just trying to get their kids to eat something that is not total sugar, and they do not have time to really cook.

So I kind of give up on this one sometimes. What I do is lead by example. If we go out with them, or they come to my home, we do not have that stuff here. Then they either do not eat it, or they pick something different.

We look at the labels when we go shopping. They get frustrated with me, but I think eventually they will remember. They might remember what I told them.

Lois:
That is one of the nice things about having an Oma around. Many parents do not have grandparents nearby, but it is nice to have grandparents who may have a little more time to help prepare foods, listen, and teach.

It is so challenging being a busy working mom, isn’t it, Jill?

Jill:
Oh, it is. It was on the news today. They were calling it the Sandwich Generation. I thought it was because we ate sandwiches, but then I listened and realized it means we are in the middle. We are taking care of the grandparents and taking care of the children.

I had never heard that term before today. I thought, “Oh my goodness.”

Sharon:
It is so true because your generation has aging parents who need help, and then you have young ones who need help. Oh my gosh, it is a lot.

Lois:
And people are busy making a living. Back in my parents’ generation, you could often have a single breadwinner. Maybe Dad went to work, like in the old television shows, and Mom stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and took care of everything.

That is really hard to do in this day and age. Nowadays, you often need both people working to provide an income for a healthy family.

Jill:
What is that doing to our kids as well? There are so many variables that go with all of this.

Life just seems a lot tougher than it was back then, but we have to learn to adapt. It is just not easy.

I worry about my children when they enter the workforce or college ten years from now. I see a lot of teenagers now whose work ethic seems to have been depleted. They are so stuck on their devices. They do not seem motivated the way I used to be.

I have always been motivated, but I feel like society, social media, and parents working so much are affecting everyone. Maybe parents are also treating children more like friends than parents. What are your thoughts on that?

Lois:
One of the things my son, who is approaching forty, mentioned to me recently is that he is in a dating situation, and he said, “Mom, all those years of you making me clean the bathroom and help with chores…”

My son was thanking me for all those years of making him clean the bathroom and help with the chores. Every Saturday morning, he had to help with chores. Mom was a working mom, so everybody had to pitch in before they could go and do their fun things.

He said, “People come to my house and think I have a maid, but you taught me how to clean.”

I also remember my daughter going to her friend’s house years ago and saying, “They all have maids, and they do not even have to know how to clean.”

That is part of the problem. Children need to learn life skills. It is part of our job to teach them how to navigate this crazy world. Otherwise, they may end up with dysfunctional habits and patterns.

Sharon:
Beautiful, Lois.

I also think they need to learn, or be shown, that solving problems is not always done through the internet. Sometimes it is about asking questions of others you know, your teacher, or your family.

Asking questions is one of the biggest things for me. How do you know that teacher is right? How do you know your parent is right about that? Ask. Teach them to feel whether an answer feels good to them.

Lois:
Jill, Sharon actually taught her granddaughter how to set her own sacred space. It is amazing. She did a video recording of it when her granddaughter was nine, and she did an incredible job.

We can teach them about spiritual things, and they can teach us if we listen to the spiritual awareness they have.

Jill:
Oh, wow.

Sharon:
I remember going to the museum with my grandson. We were looking at dinosaurs, and he said something about one of the dinosaurs. I said, “That is not a dinosaur. That is a dragon. Look, its little arms are probably from its wings, not little short arms.”

He looked at it and said, “Oh my…”

Then you could see the wheels going around. He started questioning even the museum.

Jill:
Well, we still have a lot more to get to. I know we want to talk about sensitive children, teens, and empaths.

Lois:
Our children are our future. We have to pay attention to them. We have to slow down, listen with our hearts, and encourage them to be the best they can be.

Most of them have come in right now and chosen us as parents. They are here to learn from us, but I think more than anything, we learn from them.

Jill:
And your thoughts, Sharon?

Sharon:
I agree. It is mostly about listening to them with your heart, and asking them to respect their heart and their questions.

Lois:
And teaching them about nature. Get out in nature. Put the tablets down one day a week. Have a no-device day. Let’s get out in nature. Let’s go play in the grass, walk in the trees, take a nature walk, look for butterflies or bugs.

Do something to connect with the energy of nature and escape from the energy of technology.

Jill:
I agree.

For today, I know you both really want to help empower the family unit. What do you want to say to give us hope, Lois, about the children coming into the world today?

Lois:
The children are choosing us. The children coming in right now—some people call them crystal children, some call them rainbow children—many of them are very spiritually aware, even more so than their parents.

It is really important to honor them, listen to them, and protect them. Protect their energy.

If you have a crystal child or a child who has a really strong vibrational energy, you want to keep them safe energetically as well. Bubble them up. Give them lots of positive support.

If they start talking about dragons and fairies, let them. Instead of saying, “Oh, that is dumb,” or “That is only make-believe,” maybe they are actually seeing something because they are more open than we give them credit for.

Jill:
Beautiful. Thank you.

How can people reach out to you?

Lois:
LoisHermann.com. We really help children live life as children and explore life. That is one of the things we love to do as well.

Jill:
All right. Thank you.

Lois:
Wonderful. Thank you, Jill.

Jill:
Thank you so much. It was a pleasure having you. Thank you so much.

Closing:
If something we shared resonates with you, I invite you to stay connected. Follow the show, share it with someone who would benefit, and explore more at LoisHermann.com.

Together, we clear the storms and shine the light of hope.

Until next time, look up, stay positive, and be the light in someone’s day.