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9
Mar

Facing Big Changes With Your Child

Your child’s growth and development are accompanied by significant changes. It is essential as a parent to be in a position to guide your child through the physical and emotional changes that come with age. Most people assume adapting to significant changes among children cannot be stressful. New life experiences such as moving into a new neighborhood, new school, divorce, and adolescence can prove stressful to kids. The best way a parent can help a child find purpose in life is through effective guidance on coping with life changes. For a child to develop resilience, he or she should be helped to navigate through life. As a parent, how can you help the child adapt to the stressful major life changes?

If Your Family is Moving, Give Your Child Space and Support

Moving or relocating to a new environment is among the significant life changes that can stress your child. It is estimated American homeowners move every 5-7 years on average. The time you take to adapt and understand a new environment should be the same as your child takes to process the changes. The child needs to accept the changes and have a smooth transition. If the child is moved to a new school, they should be allowed to identify and make friends on their own rather than feel compelled to belong to a group. The family should provide support to the child every time is needed. The child should be encouraged to volunteer in social activities around the school or new neighborhood as this makes it easier to make new friends and adapt to changes.

Comfort Them During Cosmetic or Bodily Challenges

Body changes in children should be expected when they attain a certain age. However, the transition differs among children. It is crucial to support and comfort your child if there are any bodily challenges present. Children mostly experience dental problems such as misaligned jaws, tooth sensitivity, gum disease, and teeth grinding. Did you know that of the 4 million people in the United States wearing braces, 75 percent of them are younger than 18? For children, such bodily challenges can lower their self-esteem and confidence, especially among their peers. When you comfort and reassure your child that bodily challenges can be managed as one grows up, coping with big life changes becomes more manageable.

Learn About What They’re Interested In

It is easier to support your children through major life changes when you understand their likes and dislikes. The connection you create with your child comes from your help in doing what they love or solving problems with them. With the busy schedules that parents have, it can be tricky knowing where your child’s interests lie. For this reason, you should be a volunteer during open school days, talk to your child’s teachers and friends, and learn more about your child. As a volunteer, it is easier to work with your child in their interests, either in sports, science, arts, or academics. Playing video games such as Minecraft with your child will also help you grasp their interests. There have been over 200 million copies of Minecraft sold as of May 2020 alone because of the entertainment and intrigue it provides to children.

It is not safe to assume that your child doesn’t get stressed with new big changes happening in life. As a parent, it is important to be sensitive to the information you give, the guidance you provide, and the child’s platform to cope with major life changes. If your family is moving to a new place, give your child time to adapt to the new environment and help him find new friends within the neighborhood or in school. The comfort you provide your child during cosmetic or bodily challenges is vital in adapting to new life changes. Your child should maintain a higher level of self-esteem and confidence and the comfort provided helps.

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