Parents must spot the widening gap with kids; act before it’s too late

Many of us might have heard the famous Chanakya Niti on raising children – Treat your child like a darling for the initial five years, from five to 15, teach them strict discipline and etiquette, and treat them like friends once they are 16 years old.

The question remains – How many of us actually behave and indulge with our children as their friends? To be frank, it’s rare to find one even in today’s modern society.

Parenting is not limited to providing your child with good food, clothes, school, and shelter. There’s more to it, and this is where they fail. The time is more than crucial to involve “emotionally” with your children, try to understand their difficulties while stepping in their shoes, listen to their concerns with empathy, and try to build a bond that empowers them to share anything, even if it’s something too bad.

Growing concerns

Particularly since the Covid-19 outbreak, some parents have become increasingly concerned about their children’s mental and emotional health. Physical and mental health are interdependent, and mental health is a crucial component.

The generation divide encourages parents and kids to keep their distance from one another. 

Although parents adore their kids, they also follow customs and traditions that the kids might not comprehend or agree with. A generation gap results from parents failing to understand their kids, and kids frequently have difficulty understanding why their parents adhere to so many social norms. Today, children reject conventional customs since they belong to a contemporary generation with a broad perspective.

What to do

Start discussing your feelings with the children to help them better understand and regulate their thoughts and emotions at times like shared book reading, dinner, and bedtime. As a parent, you can discuss preferences and aspirations with your child. 

Don’t be shy about getting involved with deeper conversations. Have in-depth discussions about emotions, including the emotions they and others could be experiencing, the reasons for and effects of those emotions, as well as coping mechanisms.

Once you start labeling emotions and addressing their causes, the children’s capacity to comprehend and regulate their emotions and their ability to deal with emotional circumstances more effectively will become much stronger.

With changing times, the set norms and standards of society change. Parents keep ignoring such reality and, as a result, end up imposing too many restrictions on their children. Hence, it’s vital to understand where the red line must be drawn. Change with time, but always keep an eye to maintain a balance.

However, parents are “humans” in the end and cannot be faultless. It’s normal to experience some low points. To take care of children, parents also need to look after themselves. Please seek professional assistance if you feel overwhelmed and require mental health care.

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