Children are as prone to depression as adults. Youngsters do not get depressed for the same reasons and not to the same degree as adults but they can get down and feel blue in a similar manner to grown-ups.
Depression is a mental disorder that it was once believed did not affect youngsters at all. Research studies that have looked closely at this over the years have discovered that this is not the case. It has been estimated that as many as three in 100 young children suffer from the effects of depression. Depression in children needs to be acknowledged and addressed the same as it does in adults and an appropriate treatment needs to be undertaken before it leads into a more serious stage.
What Causes Depression in Children?
Just as depression in adults is not necessarily brought on by one particular thing but can be influenced by a number of factors, the same can be said for depression in kids. Childhood depression can come about due to a genetic predisposition towards it. It can also result from a traumatic or stressful event in life such as a death, a new school or a move to a new place. Medications can sometimes bring about depression as can an imbalance of chemistry in the brain. Learned helplessness is also believed to be a potential cause of depression in kids when it works in combination with the type of personality traits that a youngster has.
Seeing the Doctor for a Diagnosis
If your child seems lethargic and is sad and unhappy all of the time and no longer enjoys spending time with his friends or doing the things he use to enjoy doing then it may be time to take him in to see his doctor. The family physician has the training needed to make a proper diagnosis. He can first rule out other physical problems as the cause of the condition.
After examining the child and asking him or her series of questions the doctor will then be able to decide if the child is suffering from depression. If he is then one of the most suitable means of helping a young child is by way of counseling. For children who are quite young play therapy can be very beneficial to helping them to cope with their depressive feelings and thoughts while for older kids cognitive behavior therapy tends to be the most helpful approach to dealing with depression. Sometimes family therapy is recommended or in some cases, interpersonal therapy.
Most doctors do not prescribe antidepressants for their young patients as their brains are still in the developing stages. In the rare cases where medication is prescribed it is used as a last resort and not as the first option for treatment. If medication is used then it is combined with a type of therapy. This is something that as a parent you must discuss with your child’s doctor. You must consider the advantages and disadvantages of every treatment option.
Helping Your Child
As a mother you do not have to sit back and take a passive role as you watch your child battle with depression. As a loving and supportive parent there are plenty of ways in which you can support your child in having the most uplifted mental state possible. To contribute to positive mental health and a better outlook you can do everything possible to ensure that your child eats as nutritiously as possible, gets enough exercise on a daily basis and gets the right amount of sleep. It is also extremely important that you are always available to listen to your child and to talk with him whenever he is feeling sad or upset. Your child needs to know that you are there for him and that he will be heard.
A child who is depressed feels that his world is falling apart and caving in on him. You need to shower him with love and understanding and he needs to know that you are his biggest supporter. Show your child that you are in his corner and let him know that he will get through this difficult period of time in his life with your help.
Your kids observe the use of money from an early age and want to be able to use it themselves. Teaching them about the importance of money and the exchange of money for goods is a lesson that starts long before they enter school. Children learn quickly about what money is and what it is used for. Before long they want money of their own so they can purchase things that they want to have such as candy and toys. Children also observe the gift giving process at special occasions such as Christmas time and birthdays and want to be able to have some money to take part in this as well.
Off to the Right Start
As a mother you should not be frightened or bothered when you child wants to earn money of his own but you should feel a sense of pride. Everyone must start somewhere when it comes to the use of money and one place that is good for youngsters to start is selling glasses of juice or lemonade for a few cents from a homemade stand that you set up for you child in the front yard. You can oversee the whole process and it can serve as a valuable lesson for your son or daughter.
Another small way to teach your young child about money is if you child wants to sell something that he owns to another child in order to have money to buy something else that he wants even more. You have to make sure that the trade is fair for both children but it serves as a means of teaching your child about how money works.
Whenever you child expresses to you that he or she wants to buy something, whether it be a toy truck, a Barbie doll, a coloring book or an electronic gadget this offers an opportunity to teach you son or daughter about the value of money and about the responsible use of money.
Financial Lessons for Children
You need to teach your little one that money must be earned. Your child learns this by example when he observes you going to work every day or observes you working at home if you run a small business from your residence. You need him to realize that hard work is needed to earn money, as is commitment, energy and lots of effort. Make sure that the money lessons you impart are age appropriate. You do not want to confuse or overwhelm your child when he or she is too young to understand the concepts involving money.
When you give your child an allowance for doing chores around the house this demonstrates how money works and it provides a solid foundation for the equation hard work equals money earned. You need for him to realize that earning money becomes more complicated as you get older and earning a living for a family is different than just having some spending money for the weekend. Once again though, make sure that the financial lessons are suitable for your child’s age.
Talk About Money with Kids
Talk to your child about money and make yourself available to answer any questions he may have. If there are opportunities to get him involved in your money making endeavors then do so. For instance if you are involved in a church or group that has bake sales then let your child join in with helping you bake cookies, cupcakes or muffins. If you help out at book sales or other sales to raise money for good causes then bring your son or daughter along to see how this takes place. You may not be earning the money yourself but when you do this you show him that charitable giving and earning money to help others makes a difference as well.
Adults have to deal with stress all of the time but do you realize that your children do as well? Children feel the stress of life and it affects them but they experience it in a different manner than do grown-ups. They may not experience it on the same scale as adults do and they may not experience it as often but children feel the pressure of daily living and it can give rise to anxiety, depression, worry and doubts.
Children worry about making and keeping friends as being well liked is so important to youngsters. They worry about their grades and getting their chores done. They also worry about living up to their parents’ expectations and not disappointing them. As a mother you play an important role in helping your children to cope with stress. Here we offer you some help in the area of stress reduction for your kids:
1. The single most important thing you can do to help your children to effectively cope with stress is to be there for them. Listen to your children when they want to talk about something that is bothering them. Do everything you can to put yourself in their shoes and from there to offer assistance, advice and to help them to come up with a solution to the problem. As adults it is sometimes not an easy feat to try to relate to the concerns that children have but do your very best. Keep in mind that you were once a child too.
2. Encourage your child to get enough physical activity. Exercise can be a stress buster for people of all ages. Make exercise a regular aspect of your child’s day-to-day life. Gym class at school is not enough exercise for your child, especially when he is feeling anxious and worried. Physical activity is not just good for the body but also for the mind as well. Help your child to figure out what kinds of exercise he would like to do and then support him in his choices.
As often as possible join your son or daughter in enjoying exercises together. Go for walks or bike rides. Go swimming in the local pool or shoot a few hoops in the front yard. Play badminton or kick a soccer ball around. Physical activity can clear the mind and can keep stress at a manageable level.
3. Buy your child a diary or journal and encourage him to write in it as often as he or she wants to. Encourage your child to use it as a way to express how they are feeling on paper. This stress reduction technique is called journaling and it can help to relieve stress as it helps a person to get to know themselves better. It also helps them to see their problems in black and white and can provide a means of helping your child to cope with the difficulties he or she is going through. By writing in a journal your youngster may be able to come up with their own methods of dealing with their problems.
4. Your child needs to have time to play, run around and laugh out loud. Encourage your child’s creativity when it comes to his hobbies and do what you can to be enthusiastic and supportive. By having outlets that bring him pleasure and enjoyment your child will develop better coping mechanisms. There is a time for work and a time for play. Ensure that in your home there is a good balance between the two.
5. One of the best defenses against stress is to build a strong immunity system. To do this make sure your child eats a healthy diet that is well-balanced and rich in vitamins and minerals. You should also make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep. A deficiency in either healthy foods or sleep can lead a child to become irritable or frustrated more easily. A weak immune system can open the door to not only a greater level of stress but also a higher potential for illness.
Self-confidence is not something that automatically develops on its own. It is something that a parent needs to help their child to grow. It is very important for your child’s growth and development that he or she cultivates a healthy body image and a healthy level of self-confidence. The earlier you can help your child with this the better. Having a poor self-image and little self-confidence can lead to a number of problems for your child’s emotional, psychological and social well-being and can affect the way your child relates to his/her peers.
There are some very important ways in which you as a mother can help your child to develop self-confidence and to help him to feel as good about himself as possible. There are numerous ways that you can boost your child’s self-confidence. Here we look at some of those ways:
Be a Positive Role Model
Your child is watching the things you do and listening to the things you say. He or she is very focused on you because you are mom. What you need to do is to be a positive role model for your little one. Send the proper messages to him or her by what you say and do. If your words and actions communicate to your children that you have confidence in yourself and respect for yourself then your kids will want to emulate that. Children model the behaviors they see and you are the most important influence and role model for your children. You can make a big difference.
Spend Time with Your Child
Your child needs to spend one-on-one time with you as often as possible. Whether you sit and watch a movie with your child, play a game, go for a walk, or go out for ice cream it is essential that you spend as much time with your child as possible. You need your child to know that you value the time you spend with him or her
Empower Your Child
Do what you can to empower your child. When you do this you strengthen your child’s inner resolve and this increases his self-confidence because it allows him to develop his own capacities. One way that you as a mother can help to empower your son or daughter is to provide him/her with choices. Be picky about what choices you give your child and do not offer too many as this can lead to confusion but do make this available to your child as often as possible. Choices can instill confidence in your child and can help him to feel good about himself.
Give Him an Important Job to Do
Give your child a job around the house or a task that will make him feel valued and important. Make sure you choose one that is age appropriate. No matter how small the job make sure you emphasis to him how important the job is. This will give your child more confidence and will help him to develop a high level of self-esteem.
Show Your Sunny Disposition
Show the sunny and positive side of your disposition. Negativity and gloom are everywhere we look in this world. Do your best to highlight the positive and uplifting side of life. Your child will pick up on this and it will help him to form a positive self-image and it will lead to increased confidence in his own nature.
Create a Routine
Having a routine is vital for your child. Not only does this make it possible for him to know what to expect but it also gives him something to depend upon and it makes him feel secure. When you make a schedule for meal times, bedtimes and the like this provides your children with consistency and can lead to improved confidence. Do your best to stick to the routine as much as possible.
Every season has its health and safety hazards and winter is no different. Whether you love it or hate it you must make your way through the cold weather season taking every step possible to keep healthy and safe.
You want your children to enjoy all that winter has to offer but you also want to keep them as well protected as possible. Here are four tips to help you do just that:
The sun shines during the winter just as it shine in the summer
During the winter the temperatures can get very frigid. You may think that sunscreen is not required during the colder months when there is snow on the ground but that is not the case. Do not put away the sunscreen in winter because your kids still need it when they play outside. Snow reflects more than 75 percent of the damaging UVA and UVB rays from the sun. Put it on your children’s delicate facial skin before they head out with their sleds or their plans to build snowman.
You need to bundle your kids up in appropriate winter wear
when they go outside but you do not want them so snug that they can hardly breathe or move. Their outer wear should fit their bodies properly but it should not be so tight that it restricts their movements. This is as true for clothing as it is for footwear. Socks and/or boots that are too tight can constrict blood flow and this can lead to feet that are even colder and very uncomfortable. When you take your child to the store to buy new boots it is best to shop in the afternoon or evening. When sizing the boots allow sufficient room for an extra pair of socks.
Be smart about the choices of clothing you pick for your kids
It is wise to dress them in layers when they head off to school or go outdoors to play. Choose outdoor jackets and snow pants that are waterproof and windproof. Cotton absorbs sweat and works well as the layer closest to the skin and wool works well as one of the other layers. But do not choose garments that are made of a scratchy wool or are too heavy as this will make your children sweat too much and will make them downright uncomfortable. Wool is a good insulator and it is also flexible and durable. The combination of layers of cotton and wool will help to keep your children warmer and dryer (and therefore more comfortable and less likely to complain!).
Make sure that your children have the right protection for their face, hands and neck when they leave the house. Invest in good quality hats, mittens and scarves. To save time when you are getting your kids ready to go outside keep winter garments in the closet nearest the door and store mittens or gloves and scarves inside of the hats.
Teach your children about outdoor safety
Especially when they are playing in the yard and also participating in winter sports and activities such as skating, skiing or sledding. Be there to supervise your children and make sure you have tissues and dry mittens on hand. Limit the time your children play outdoors in accordance with the temperature of the day.
Only allow your children to skate on ice that has been deemed frozen enough to skate on. Make sure that the sledding paths your kids use are in safe locations. They should not be too close to the road and they should not be too crowded with kids.
Purchase sleds for your little ones that are as safe as possible. The types that can be steered are the smartest choice. If you child wants to snowboard or ski then it is probably a good idea to find an instructor who can provide them with lessons. In that way you will know that they have been taught properly.
When they do get out on the slopes to do these winter activities helmets should always be worn as well as gloves with built-in wrist guards. As well the child should always be accompanied by an adult. If you or dad cannot do it then find a trusted family member or friend who can.
