Parenting issues and support

Parents face a variety of challenges while raising their children such as: temper tantrums, children not listening, threatening to harm themselves, threating to harm others, children who have behavioural issues, children struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, children dealing with bulling, sibling rivalry, social anxiety, and many more. It can feel overwhelming to be a parent and try to navigate all these issues while ensuring your child is healthy, well behaved, and emotionally and socially well adjusted. You might agonize over the right way to discipline your child or wonder if they are developing normally. It is normal to feel this way and no parent is perfect, you will almost certainly make mistakes raising your child and that is okay.

The most important aspect of parenting is ensuring that you form a secure attachment with your child. You might be wondering what a secure attachment is and how you can form one. A secure attachment is one where the child feels safe which allows them to feel comfortable and confident in exploring the world around them, helps protect your child against the harmful effects of stress, aids children in developing resiliency and social skills, and provides your child with the template needed to form successful romantic relationships in the future. You can form a secure attachment bond with your child by responding to your child’s needs in a timely manner, showing interest in our child’s interests, being receptive to your child’s emotions by validating them and being empathetic, modelling healthy emotional expression, and spending time with your children where you are fully present and not multi-tasking.

Even after forming a secure attachment with your child there may still be times when you find you are struggling with some of the concerns listed above. In those cases, you can reach out for help by attending a parenting class or seeking therapy for yourself or your child to get assistance with those concerns.