What is Emotional Support?
You express love verbally, you appreciate their efforts, motivate them to try something new, you stand with them face their fears… but is that it?
Have you heard of something like, “Know your kids before they know themselves or know their fears before they are too afraid to share it, or simply answer their questions before they are able to ask you.”
Children of 5, 6 and onwards years of age have a lot going on in their minds.
They are small yet their individual personality is developing at a fast pace.
They know it when someone is affectionate and when someone is letting them down.
Be it close family members or some stranger these kids can easily sense their intentions.
But an important feeling that’s also growing in their minds is the emotional support from parents towards them.
How LONG and how FAR WILL MY PARENTS STAND WITH ME???
Are my parents confident about me? Do they really believe it when I say I did not do it?
Is that doubt that I see in their eyes?
“Did you go to a party last night where your son came to everyone’s attention? When the other kid kept pointing fingers at him, “It’s him, its him, he did it.”
Did you feel embarrassed? And all you did was give a harsh look to your kid? Did you drive all the way home cursing your child, “I should have never brought you to the party,” and your child kept begging for a chance to clarify himself or he chose to suffer in silence.”
Or did you choose to go the easy way out, by calling upon your child and compelling him to say “Sorry” and then just brush off everything and move on.
Its easy for you to move on but such incidences stay with the child.
Either if your child was bullied or if he bullied either way you have to fix the problem within the core.
Remember….
Smart parents always speak up for their children.
And here is why…
• They want to develop self esteem in their children
If you don’t speak up for them they wont learn how to speak up for themselves.
• Your opinion matters
Your child must know, what he thinks and what he says, makes a difference, so when you take a stand for him he knows that opinions make changes.
• You are there for your child
Whether your child was bullied or he he was on the wrong side, you have to let him know that you are there. His guide.
• RESPECT is more than just a word
Expensive gifts and fancy things can never earn true respect, your support for him is what lights the heart.
• An experience to learn and grow
Life is meant to be learn’t from mistakes only then you can treasure wisdom. So even if your child did pull the other girls hair, explain to him, correct him, teach him to feel truly apologetic and then move on.
• Strengthen your bond
You are the most important beings for your child only till a certain age but the bond that you build from the tender age lasts forever.
So make it strong, give lots of emotional support, read whats in their eyes and try to clear their doubts. Show them its OK to be mad sometimes, but never let madness get to the heart.
