As a parent it is important that we understand what potential problems our child has. I think that we would all agree that the majority of children have a certain amount of fears and anxieties. In this article, I write about the types of fears that this might be and about how we can help our children to cope and to get through life in the best possible and stress-free way.
I am by now a child social worker and what I write within this article is just my own personal opinion. I actually work within the composite front doors industry; I am also involved with a training for foster carers company and with a group of cost reduction specialists.
Many children are able to pick up on what their parents are worrying about. Money is a perfect example; the child may have listened to its parents discussing their money worries, this can then potentially make the child start to become anxious about the family’s financial situation. I am a parent myself and try where possible to only discuss serious issues with my partner when the children are out or are asleep. If I believe that one of my children has overheard a conversation which I would have rather they hadn’t, I then talk to them to attempt to reassure them that everything is OK.
Children may also worry that their parents may break up and that they will end up living apart. They will no doubt hear that this has happened to their friends and may wonder and stress about how their lives would change if this happened to them.
My children have told me that they worry and that they fear that one of their parents may die in the near future. It is quite difficult to explain to them that this is unlikely to happen as it obviously could. I try and laugh it off which may not be the best policy, by stating that I am still very young and that I have no plans to leave this planet in the near future. I explain to them the age that the average male will live to in our country and that normally, I hope, makes them feel better.
Another form of stress and anxiety for many children, is of course, attending school. Will they be able to comprehend all of the work that they are given? Will they be able to obtain a good examination mark and a good report? Will they be able to make their parents proud of them? I have told my own children not to worry about these issues and to just try their best.
Socialising and meeting friends can also bring its own tensions. Children make and break friends at regular intervals, especially during the early teenage years. When friends fall out this can be a very stressful time for any child. When this happens to my children, I make a point of saying that it has been the fourth time in a month that you and Amy as an example, have had a falling out. Your sure to make friends again in the near future.
As children get a bit older there is then the challenge of meeting a member of the opposite sex. We all know the problems and strains that this can bring. At this time I think it is just a matter of being there for your children and getting them through these difficult years the best and easiest way possible.
Tags: anxiety, children, fear, parents, socialising, stress, stressful, worry