What the Heck is an Inner Child? A Ghost from the Past?

I'm going to be entirely straight up: I loathe the term "inner child."  

What the heck does that even mean? Is it a ghost? Do I need to get out the Ouija board to summon the artifacts of my youth? Is that healthy? It sure doesn't seem like a good idea. 

But in all sincerity, why has this concept taken root in modern culture? What makes this buzz-word term so buzzy? And what does it mean? 

If you haven't noticed, I have questions. 

Recognizing Early Life Experience Without Bringing Ghosts of the Past Back to Life 

As we age and move further away from childhood, most of us have the power to look back at our early life experiences from a different perspective with more empathy, understanding, and insight. Instead of tapping into a past version of ourselves, why don't we celebrate the journey that got us to where we are today, taking lessons from the past but not trying to recreate it?  

Rather than attempting to connect with a ghost of your youthful self, it's about recognizing the kid you once were. You may have been placed in environments or situations that weren't fair or rendered you powerless. You may have been asked to make adult decisions, but you developmentally couldn't do so.  

At a young age, you may not have had the tools in your metaphorical toolbox to navigate what was happening around you. And yes, some of this is carried into adult life if not properly managed. 

But I stand by the fact that healing doesn't always mean tapping into the painful ghosts of the past. Perhaps it's learning to let go, to heal what you could not control, and to heal your adult self (no seance needed).