Defining your children’s emotional needs

Feeding and clothing your child is a big part of what they need to grow up healthy, happy and strong but these requirements are only a piece of the puzzle. As a parent, you are responsible for shaping the framework of their young bodies, minds and souls so they are prepared to meet the challenges of being an adult and a large part of those duties means taking a leading role in the emotional development of children.

The way a mother or father reacts to the emotional needs of children defines the way children will see the world and their place in it. It’s as important as putting bread on the table and clothes on their backs and having a template telling you just what these needs are is a great way to help you find the healthy, caring responses for each category.

Emotional development in children and comfort
Your son or daughter needs to know no matter what happens, they will always find a safe harbor in you and that’s why comfort is a big requirement. You should always be at the ready to acknowledge their feelings and listen to them. When they are sad or afraid, they need to be reassured knowing you will always be there to listen to and understand them. Supplying comfort is all about teaching your children that it’s perfectly normal to have emotions even when they aren’t rational.
Your children also need to know you have them on your radar and they are being listened to and seen. It’s important to show a sincere interest in their activities and interests and their feelings and thoughts for them to grow up to be well adjusted adults. You also need to understand their attention seeking behavior is simply not acting out but rather your child’s way to tell you they want a connection.
One of the biggest gifts your can give you child is a healthy concept of who they are and their value and providing the right amount of approval is a central ingredient. They get confident with an ever-increasing sense of self-worth and a good idea of their strengths when you praise them for their efforts.

Supporting the emotional needs of children

Approval and support work hand in hand to develop children’s sense of themselves and give them a framework where they can build a successful adult personality for the years ahead. They should always have a sense Mom and Dad is behind them as they navigate the challenges of life and experiment with a catalogue of life’s emotional, intellectual and even physical challenges.

Providing a nurturing and caregiving environment isn’t enough to meet the emotional needs of children if that atmosphere isn’t consistent. Parents need to sit and watch their children to understand what engages them, makes them excited and soothes them. That’s the best way to make educated guesses about how and when you should respond.

 

Read more info like this at All My Children.
Author: Rob Starr