Skip to content

Listening to children’s voices and catering their needs

Generally speaking, children are sensitive of everything around them that even a minor change can put pressure on them. In some cases, the children may not actually witness the change in family situations such as the dispute within families, illness or unemployment of family members or families encountering sudden changes; still they can feel the subtle deterioration of family atmosphere.

Facing such changes, some young children may find it hard to explicitly talk about their feelings due to limited language expression ability. In this regards, they will express their emotions through various behaviors. Parents not knowing the reasons behind these behaviors might think that their children are being deliberately undisciplined or even rebellious.

It is, thus, essential for parents to understand children’s emotions and developmental needs. Meanwhile, parents’ active involvement also play an important role in enabling the children to grow up healthily and happily which perhaps is the best wish of parents.

Parents could take into consideration the following strategies on taking care of children:

Children need…

  • Parents to take care of their daily lives
  • Parents’ emotional support to create sense of security
  • To learn how to express emotions through interactions with parents
  • Parents’ encouragement to explore the world

Parents should…

  • Learn to take care of their children’s mental and physical health
  • Distinguish the reasons behind children’s tears – Is it about illness or emotional freak-out? And then provide suitable comfort and emotional response
  • Nurture their children with love and care; not spoil them
  • Understand it’s normal for children to have negative emotions, and focus on teaching them the right ways to express and cope with their feelings
  • Keep their children safe while give them the chance to venture out

Up next, let’s see how a child-centered and Play Therapy can help children to express their emotions, enable parents to understand their children’s needs and build a stronger family relationship!

Tao Chan, Service Director

Link to: Play Therapy: A walk to the inner world of Ching Ching