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Helping your kids survive in today’s world.

Parenthood is difficult enough, in and of itself, let alone in this complicated world. We all worry about the effects today’s world will have on our children.  Whether they be 5 or 25, what can we do to help them?

  1. Be a support. Whatever our kids are dealing with, we can continuously reinforce that we are there for them. Checking in regularly and offering what type of support we can will keep those channels open.  Our hope is that they don’t feel alone in whatever issues they are dealing with.
  2. Lead by example. How are we surviving today’s world? Are we coping in healthy ways? If not, we may change some of our coping mechanisms in order to help ourselves and indirectly help our children.  For example, a little less “sparenting issuescreen time” and a little more spending time outside.
  3. Spend time together. Arrange and plan regular occasions to spend time with your children. Time can be spent face to face, with a group or family, or over FaceTime or Skype.
  4. Emphasis your faith in their abilities. Oftentimes we focus on our kid’s weaknesses vs. their strengths.  By doing this we undermine their sense of self.  By reinforcing our “you can do this” attitude, we have toward our children, we reinforce their confidence.
  5. Involve them in decision making and give them responsibilities. Sometimes it is hard for us, as parents, to give up control of family activities or decisions.  By delegating we can lighten our load and strengthen our children’s confidence in themselves at the same time.

Bottom Line: Rather than being passive, take a pro-active approach to being involved in our children’s lives.

-Florie W. Jackson, Salt Lake Counseling Services