Why does something hurt?
There are all kinds of different things that can "hurt" and make you feel pain -- stubbing your toe, having a stomach ache, being really sad -- these are all things that hurt in different ways.
But even though it's not very much fun, feeling hurt is your body's way of letting you know that something is wrong and you should take care of it. For example, if you accidentally put your hand under water that is too hot, your body tells you that this hurts so you know to move your hand from the water before it gets hurt any more.
The feeling of pain like this comes from the nerves in your body. Nerves are like little messengers you have all over your body, which very quickly tell your brain when something is wrong.Being sad is a different type of hurt that your body uses to remind you that you need to fix the problem causing that pain. It's important to pay attention when something hurts so you can fix it before it gets worse. Talk to a grown-up you can trust right away whenever you're feeling pain.
Exploration
Bringing back the smiles!
When someone is feeling pain, it can be helpful to be cheered up a little bit. What are some things that cheer you up? Maybe you feel better when you watch your favorite movie, or go for a walk outside. Some people feel better if they take a nap or a nice bath. It's also nice sometimes when someone gives you a card or a picture to wish you a speedy recovery.
Next time one of your friends or someone in your family isn't feeling well, make a card for him or her! It'll probably be a really nice surprise and help that person feel a lot better.