![]() ![]() What kids need to know is that no matter what, the rules still apply to them. And they can use the teaching style and a coaching style to help them manage those feelings and learn more skills. Parents can talk that through with their kids. And for most kids, the depression they go through is a period of sadness, a period of being down, a time when something’s going wrong and they don’t know what to do about it. Even intense feelings of sadness can be experienced without it being considered unhealthy or abnormal. Feelings of sadness are a part of depression, but they’re also very human. “Everyone Gets Sad Sometimes.” Let your child know that we all have periods of feeling down, that problems can seem overwhelming to everyone at times.Try saying, “Hey, you seemed okay yesterday, what happened? Did something happen in school?” You can probe it a little bit more, but don’t let your child avoid responsibilities through these mood states. We’ll talk with you about it if you want to, but you’ve got to get your homework done either way.” You can also do a bit more coaching with moody kids around this. The idea here is, “Yes, we tolerate moods, but you still have to do your homework.” You can say, “All right, so you can be moody, you can feel irritable, you can be down, you can be sad. Recognize That Moodiness is Part of Growing Up: We all go through moods, adolescents especially, and parents have to be understanding of that.You can say, “We won’t force you to talk if you don’t want to, but we’re here.” And let your child know that you’re willing to listen to them and talk with them about what’s making them sad. If possible, take your child into a room where there are no distractions and let them calm down before opening a conversation about why they’re upset. Once that happens, the adult in charge can talk with them about whether or not they’re angry, whether or not they’re depressed, what the problem is and how they can solve it. That’s why many schools have a “quiet room” where kids can go to calm down. In a school setting, if you’re in a special education class where there’s a lot of noise in the classroom, an upset child will not be able to engage in a conversation in a way that’s helpful. Don’t try to have a talk with them about their behavior or about their coping skills when a lot of other distractions are present. Why a Quiet Room is Important: Children who are depressed often exhibit distractibility and impaired concentration, so it’s important to get them in a soothing environment.During a time of episodic depression in your child’s life, I would recommend that you use more coaching and less limit setting. Remember, a good parenting style for kids who are depressed is like a coaching style. You can say, “We understand you’re down, but you still have to do your homework.” You may want to ease them into tasks by having them do the dishes with you in the kitchen, do their homework while you work nearby, or go to the store with you. Be more available to them when they start feeling overwhelmed, but don’t let them avoid their responsibilities. Know that you have to give them more opportunities to regroup. They will probably need more support to perform at the same level. ![]() Responsibilities: As far as responsibilities go, I don’t think a lot of special consideration should be given to kids who are episodically depressed.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |