How to recognize hardships and help

Anxiety about the future

Safe environment, education and emotional health are the needs that most of the Lithuanian parents call the most important. Nevertheless, as many as 6 out of 10 believe that there is too little attention to the emotional health of children in preschool and school education institutions, and more than one third (36 %) of those raising children are also confessed to the lack of attention (survey conducted in November 2023 by Circle K).

Specialists of the public organization « Save the Children » note that often in families where parents find it difficult to meet their child’s basic needs, the importance of emotional health fades.

« Today, we are talking about many challenges that children face: pressure at school, ignorance on how to deal with complex emotions, bullying, conflicts with peers and adults, insecurity for the future, feeling that their opinion is not appreciated. The focus on emotional health must become a priority. Children ”manager, psychologist Laura Milčienė.

She notes that the geopolitical challenges in the world, a disturbing adult, also affect children and adolescents.

« A year ago in a survey we conducted, 14-18, young people said they were concerned about war and unrest in the country (6.8 out of 10). Naturally, today, more and more in the public sphere may feel more anxiety, insecurity, insecurity. Smaller children may feel restless. says L. Milčienė.

Laura Milčienė / Photo by Personal Archive

Alerts altered behavior

According to psychologist Auguste Sagitė, « Save the Children », very often a child attempts to overcome complex feelings or changes in life change his behavior.

« The altered behavior acts as a litmus paper to help parents notify that something is depressed. These can be a variety of everyday events, but there may be longer difficult situations. Parents’ responsibility is to understand what the child’s needs are at the time and what feelings he or she survives. Not to respond properly.

Psychologist also advises consulting a child for the child’s emotional state of the child, who can help you assess the situation more accurately.

To help control emotions

According to L. Milčienė, the head of « Save the Children », the child gradually acquires emotion management skills. She points out that it is crucial to the child’s anger not to respond to anger and to acknowledge the emotion of the child without assessing his or her behavior.

« Do not feel good in some situations is very adequate, for example, worrying about the disaster is perfectly normal, anger when you do not get what you want, it is also understandable.

She recommends that you try to get children to the world of feelings and emotions as early as possible.

« The earlier we start knowing the children with him, the better they can name their well -being. Realizing how they feel, children can tell them what help they need. At different ages, it will be different things: if the baby shouts and cries loudly, they probably soon want to hug him. Attentiveness and disagreement, as methods that work once or with one child, the next or another, may not be completely ineffective.

Parenting requires attentiveness and disagreement because the methods that act once or with one child, the next or another child may be completely ineffective.

To hear and understand

According to psychologist A. Salaytė, ensuring a safe environment that includes not only physical but also emotional security, is the main responsibility of adults.

« When a child feels heard, understood, appreciated, when he grows up in a supportive environment, it is much easier for him to reveal, learn new things, confident. It doesn’t leave, ”says the psychologist.

She also adds that warm relationships strengthen emotional resistance, creating a kind of help network.

« It is very important for self -discipline and relaxation. With smaller children, relaxation exercises are very easy to turn into a game, with a little bigger this can be short talk about their day events. It is very important for teens to know that they are accepted and supported in search of their identity, » says A. Sagitė.