Have you ever wondered what are some of the secret thoughts in your child’s head? Often they might feel embarrassed, scared or unsure of how to share with you their feelings. Here are 5 things your child probably wishes you knew.
1. They need a safe and calm refuge
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Your home is your child’s sanctuary. Your child feels most relaxed and content when coming home to a clean, organized home that’s free of quarrelling parents or extreme mess. Your child might appear satisfied with your consistently chaotic home but it could affect performance in school as well as overall development. As much as you can, keep your marital problems inside a locked bedroom and don’t let your child witness any drama. If you can’t keep the house spotless, maintain a specific order that will work for the whole family.
2. They want to make you happy
One of the things your child wishes you knew but won’t tell you is that they always want to make you happy and make you proud. Although your child frequently messes things up or just gets under your skin, you have to know that it isn’t done on purpose. Focus on the strong points of your child to avoid being constantly irritated or mad. Always assure your child that no matter how much you scold them or how much they mess up, your love will always be there.
3. You make them feel like a failure
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Kids strive to be the best on all things but some of them just can’t live up to their parents’ standards. If you have always pressured your child to excel in school, don’t make them feel worse by reprimanding them if they fail a quiz or a project. Never ever compare them to other kids who have won medals or trophies, or they’ll feel really disheartened. Since this is one of the things your child wishes you knew but won’t tell you, you must learn to be sensitive enough to attune to current feelings. Instead of nitpicking and pushing your child to the limit, encourage and allow growth at a pace that’s easy for them to keep up.
4. They want you to be on their team
Children make mistakes and bad decisions. But one of the things your child wishes you knew but won’t tell you is that you are needed on their side always. No matter how much they mess up, you must always show your support. Condoning bad or violent behaviour is not encouraged but you can show you care by offering the right kind of help.
5. You are their rock
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One of the many things your child wishes you knew but won’t tell you is that they see you like a solid wall in their life. For them, you are indestructible, unaffected and infallible. This is the reason why they draw their strength from you. If they see you cry or break down, their whole world crashes and they can’t help but feel discouraged.
