As an adult you might think that children live rather blissful lives. The truth is, however, that they are often aware of and worried by numerous issues, many of them similar to the ones their parents and other adults face. These issues make them anxious, and often inspire fear in them. The best thing you can do for your child is to help him or her cope. In this article, we shall take a closer look at some of these issues and how you can help your child cope better.
Bullying
Children, for all their cuteness, can be quite cruel to each other, and much of it starts very early, often as early as 5 years. It is at this age that children first conceive of social power and start to fight for it. This coincides with when many kids begin to interact with each other. Many of them find the new social problem of bullying a rather difficult one to solve. Sure, teachers are there telling them all that they need to be friends, but children aren’t fools. They know very well that not everyone will be a friend. Different kids will respond differently to bullying. Some may actually seek out a teacher or parent and complain about it, while others will express it in other ways, such as throwing tantrums at home.
As a parent, you need to make sure your child is safe. Talk to the officials at school about the bullying, describing it in detail, including how often it happens. Let the school tell you exactly what steps they will take to prevent your child from being bullied. Meanwhile, at home, focus on empowering your child. Teach them to stand up to bullies and to tell them that they cannot do that to them, or that they should stay away from them, with courage.
Also, encourage your child to make as many friends as possible. Bullies aren’t as likely to pick on groups as they are on loners. Encourage her to go out and play with her friends, even in non-academic settings, as this will help your child build confidence.
Domestic Abuse
Many children witness disagreements between their parents, sometimes violent ones, and this can affect them. The violence does not have to be physical, and the child doesn’t even need to see it for them to be affected. Hearing their parents argue behind closed doors can distress children too.
The thing is, even if you try to compartmentalize your personal lives away from your children, you should always work under the assumption that your child knows a lot about what is going on between you as parents. Witnessing these violent arguments can lead to behavioral and emotional problems later in your child’s life. Such things as frequent and excessive crying, bed-wetting, and behavioral issues at home or school might be symptoms of anxiety from witnessing disagreements between parents.
The best solution to this is to get help if you are experiencing domestic abuse at home. Consider reporting it to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence or other such agencies. You can also consider talking to a marriage counselor to see if you can work on resolving your conflicts. It will take time to completely eliminate the fights, but taking a step in the right direction is worth infinitely more than staying in the same place.
Divorce
Sometimes it’s impossible to resolve conflict between a couple, and it all ends up in family court as a divorce. In that case, it can severely impact a child emotionally and behaviorally. Children experience just as much, if not more, loss from a divorce or separation as their parents. Young children are afraid of the unknown, and facing an uncertain future can stress, sadden, and confuse them.
While divorce is often unavoidable, there are things you can do to ease your child’s anxiety during this trying period. For starters, try to maintain their routine and remain in the same neighborhood or school district with one parent. This will give them structure, stability, and, ultimately, comfort. You and your former spouse should also remain friendly as much as possible, cooperating and being courteous with each other when syncing schedules and plans, especially when you’re talking in the presence of your child. Do not undermine your former spouse’s decisions and try to maintain the same rules for your child when they are in your separate households. Do not blame or criticize your spouse in front of your child. The idea here is to assure your child that you still love them, even if you’re not still together, and that you will work together for their sake.
Violence and Shootings
School shootings and other forms of gun violence have unfortunately become more common. It’s no longer a mere political issue, but something deeply personal that you should discuss in your home, especially if you have a gun in your home. Make sure to always store it locked and unloaded, and lock the ammunition elsewhere altogether.
You should also make the effort to encourage your child. Let them know that public shootings are still rare and that the people who commit these crimes are not normal or common, just people who need serious help. Tell them about the steps their school, your local community, state, and the nation at large have all taken to promote their safety.
You might also want to monitor what your child watches on TV. The news can often be anxiety-inducing, or even depressing like [pii_email_37f47c404649338129d6]. Let your child know that you and every other adult is doing their best ensure that they are safe.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many social issues that may affect your child, inducing anxiety and leading to emotional and behavioral problems. As a parent, the best you can do is to constantly encourage your child and inspire them with confidence that they are loved and safe.
Author Bio
Thomas Lanigan has 4 years work experience as a marketing specialist, social media manager, writer, journalist, lab report writer, and editor at https://www.bestessayservicereviews.com/. Also, he is a professional content writer at EssayOnTime and Bestessay.com in such topics as blogging, marketing features, progressive education programs, and business.
