As much as we try to protect our children from adverse situations, they’ll ultimately encounter them throughout their lives. Your children may face bullying, family issues, and working through internal struggles from an early age.
You may not shield your children from everything difficult, but you can play a significant part in teaching them healthy and productive ways to move through hard times.
Teaching your children to deal with adversity at a young age will help them grow into courageous, intelligent, resilient adults. If you’re wondering how to educate your kids on working through challenges, you’re in the right place.
Here are five every day, challenging situations early-aged children might encounter and how to work through them effectively.
Learning Who They Are
Children start to develop their personalities in their first year of life. Their personalities define themselves more and more with each passing year. And with that, their internal dialogue begins. Understanding their emotions, thoughts, and ways of being might be difficult for a young child.
So, first, let them know that the way they feel is entirely normal. Then, share how you felt at their age and encourage them to be who they are. Also, reassure them that you’re there with them every step of the way.
You can also keep up to date with trends to know what children are dealing with worldwide.
For instance, heading into Kindergarten or first grade, your child might identify as gender-fluid. With some research, you’ll learn that helping your child feel comfortable in their skin and expressing it through their clothing will make a massive difference in the way they walk into their school and in their life.
All in all, helping your children become comfortable about who they are will give them more confidence and enable them to stand firm when others aren’t so accepting.
Difficulty Socializing
Another common situation that may be challenging for early-aged children is socialising. Some children aren’t social butterflies. It may take them longer to learn to connect with others, and that’s okay.
In this case, you want them to know that you understand the scariness of meeting new friends, but they don’t have to be afraid. You can help your children navigate complex social situations by:
- Understanding that adverse social situations are a normal part of life
- Fostering effective communication and active listening
- Learning to provide support instead of attributing blame
- Reaching out to professionals for help when necessary
- Gathering advice from other parents
Ultimately, your child may have a tough time learning to socialize with others. But, at the same time, you can help them work through their fears about making new friends on a comfortable timeline for them.
Unfortunately, millions of children experience bullying every year. It can be one of the most challenging situations a child can endure. Bullying can start in daycare with early-aged children and continue through grade school and beyond. When a child experiences bullying, it can scar them emotionally and trigger mental health issues like depression.
To help your child through bullying, first, it’s crucial you know the signs of bullying. For example, having extreme mood swings, not eating or sleeping well, or seeming unusually anxious in certain places or around specific people.
Then, if you notice signs like the above, sit down with your child and have a heartfelt conversation with them about your concerns. Offer them comfort and support so they feel comfortable opening up.
Likewise, it can be heartbreaking to discover that, in fact, your child is the one bullying others. I have discovered this fantastic resource which gives you lots of information on what to do if your child is a bully.
Finally, if you find out that someone is bullying your child, reassure them that you’ll work together to find the best solution. Speak with officials at their school or daycare and ask that they be the first to contact the bully’s parents. If you must speak with them yourself, ensure there’s a mediator there. Furthermore, if necessary, involve legal authorities to protect your child that way.
Generally speaking, bullying is a tough situation to help your children through, but they’re counting on you, so do your best.
Understanding Divorce
Another challenging situation a child may have to go through is divorce. Young children especially don’t understand divorce. Even if you have a good reason for it, your children will still feel hurt, uneasy, and fearful about the future. They may even end up blaming themselves for the divorce.
You can help ease divorce trauma by having transparent conversations with your children. Do your best not to change too much too fast. It’s also crucial you learn to co-parent effectively with your ex-spouse so that your children don’t ever feel like they have to choose between the two of you.
In conclusion, helping your children navigate the adversity prompted by divorce will teach them how to work through difficult emotions and situations out of their control.
Sibling Rivalry
It may not seem like it at first, but having multiple children can present some adversity. For instance, when you have your first child, it’s all about them. They get all of your love, attention, and care.
But when you have your second child and beyond, it can be difficult for the children. You already have to understand how things change. They must learn to share with you and your spouse. In addition, they must learn how to love and live with their new sibling.
You can help mitigate sibling rivalry by teaching your children gratitude and appreciation. Share with them how having siblings is a blessing. Encourage them to spend time with their new sibling and teach them how to interact with one another in a fun, gentle, playful way.
Also, be sure to spend time with your kids individually and develop deep, meaningful relationships with each other so that they know they’re valued, loved, and supported.
Conclusion
Teaching your children to deal with adversity at a young age is a difficult task. However, you can start by guiding them through the difficult situations above, and over time, they’ll learn to move through challenging times with confidence.
