Following on from our previous blog on how to raise a healthy, happy child here are some further tips that may help.
Let it be – it is important to encourage children to explore their surroundings through the medium of play. Your child may seem as is if they are just going up the slide at the playground the wrong way but they are, in fact, developing important socialisation, thinking, and problem solving skills.
Observe – young children and babies aren’t able to communicate directly and we often have to interpret what they want or mean. Play affords children the opportunity to act out their emotions and by reflecting these as parents, our child is helped to understand their feelings.
Understand – there are stages in every child’s life such as 'the terrible twos' which can be particularly demanding. Although it may seem like they are purposely disrespecting us and trying to wind us up, we must understand they do not have the ability to reason as we do, and are simply exploring and learning about their world. Being aware of this age appropriate behaviour, makes it easier to deal with.
Explain – we are all too quick to say ‘because I said so’ when our child asks us why we did something. Explaining our actions, however, teaches our child about cause and effect and helps them make better decisions as adults. It also helps build language skills, in addition to trust and respect.
Here at First Psychology we offer family therapy and therapy for children and young people, as well as adults. If you would like to book an initial session with one of our experienced practitioners, please contact your local First Psychology Centre on: