To a degree, ALL children are fragile. This is often forgotten, as we view them from our adult perspective. They are like sponges, and absorb all and every emotional tension around. Some children are more resilient and appear more able to cope than others. One also needs to be aware that early blocking can occur that does not negate a child’s vulnerability. In this case, your child may seem stronger than they are. However, some children are more vulnerable and have less coping skills than others.
How do we help a vulnerable child to cope with a difficult world and become more resilient?
Its important first of all to not become a helicopter parent., ie hovering around our child and fighting all their battles for them. This will NOT strengthen them, and in fact can weaken them or where they rely on you to do the work. Of course your role is to protect your child as much as you can, but there are ways to do this while also allowing your child to feel like they are coping on their own. There are also appropriate ways of helping that depend on age. As they grow, you need to step back more and more and allow them to cope with situations particularly if they have caused them through an unthinking act. However there are ways of being supportive without taking on difficulties your child may face.
Always look carefully at the situation and keep communication channels open before reacting. Try to reason out a response that comes from your child rather than you and encourage them to act on it while praising them for trying. NB do not over do the praise, it is simply a case of affirming their response or discussing further if it does not seem to be a positive response. Children are actually very wise and can come up with creative solutions.
However, some children are intensely sensitive more than usual. They take every slight deeply and may react by weeping and needing comfort, withdrawing from activities, experiencing stomach aches and headaches or even lashing out angrily with a temper. Teenagers tend to withdraw and/or weep silently. But they may also stop eating or become bulimic or become silent rebels where they may escape with substance abuse. In these cases reasoning may help but may also exacerbate the problem. Observe and try to get to the root of the problem. It may be that you have a deeply sensitive child. What ever the case, homoeopathy is of great assistance. A homoeopath is able to determine root causes and has an arsenal of remedies that help to stabilise the emotional ups and downs. Certain remedies will also strengthen fragile children and help them to cope with emotional and every-day issues that may be causing withdrawal, stomach aches and emotional reactions.
At gentlepath, we assess the individual vulnerabilities and needs and help with coping on numerous issues and at all ages. In addition, we help set up support structures that will help guide you through what could be turbulent times.