We often get confused with what our children want and what they need. Well, what they want, definitely matters concerning their age group, for example, Five to ten-year-olds love to talk a lot about various things and believe me it is the best age to train them physically.
They are keen learners and show interest in:
- Mom and Dad- The day-to-day activities like washing clothes, cooking, going to work, coping with their gestures, phone talks and even role-play of their Mom and Dad.
- Siblings characteristics- like if their siblings are tall, fat, happy, sad, angry, intelligent, smart, pretty, creative and perfect boy/gal they just want to be and behave like them (in most of the cases).
- Love pets- like fishes, Cats and Dogs
- Always “ready for the treat” like Cake and Ice Cream
- Birthday Parties
- Fun at School- like extra-curricular activities, learning maps and diagrams, assembling and dissembling instruments, lunch breaks and playtime with friends.
- Friends and Pals- everybody love their tribe of similar interests and activities.
- Storytime- Kids loves storytime and the most wearied topic is Scary experiences or stories.
- Fireworks- They are always up for the fireworks
- Painting and Drawing
- Outdoor activities or Playtime
- Dancing and Music
We all can agree on one point Parenting requires a balance between love and discipline training. We should allow them certain activities but it is necessary to clear the confusion and suffering for some demands for their self-discovery. Ironically neither they nor we, the parents can realize the difference between WANT and NEED. One of my friends told me the story of her childhood where she can fulfil all her demands but she realized the importance of her actual need after she gave birth to a baby. She said all she need was her parent’s abundant love and time. I know it is a story of most of the readers but luckily we have “inkiddos” to get the simplified content of the researched articles.
Do you know what all children need from their parents?
According to Dr Harley Rotbart, MD, a nationally-renowned parenting expert and vice-chair emeritus of Pediatrics at Children’s Colorado “Years of research in child development have identified the following eight essential requirements for kids to become happy, successful adults”
- Security- Our beloved fairies and heroes must feel safe, secure and sound, with their basic survival needs like shelter, food, clothing, medical care and protection from harm.
- Stability- If I say Stability that means family and community balance. Ideally, a family remains together in a stable household, the families should be a part of some community or a larger circle of society to experience a sense of belonging, tradition and cultural continuity.
- Consistency- No “good cop, bad cop.” Parents should balance and synchronize their parenting by adding important values and disciple to stay consistent.
- Emotional support- I believe, this is the most important point that Parents’ words and actions should encourage kids’ trust, respect, self-esteem and, ultimately, independence to make their child a successful and mentally strong person.
- Love- The most essential and beautiful bond of love is Saying and showing you love your kids even when your child has disobeyed, failed, angered, frustrated and rebelled against you, show them you love them and that you’ll always love them.
- Education- Providing good formal education in school can add invaluable life lessons to your kid’s life.
- Positive role models- Most parents are their kids’ first and most important role models. Teach them basic human characteristics by being the kind of person you want them to become.
- Structure- It is the introduction and reaching values like rules, boundaries, and limits to fit and accelerate in the social and personal structure.
To grow happily every child has a right to experience and demand love, faith, confidence, patience, affection, counselling, guidance, respect, and time of their parents… they need it even when they don’t want it.
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