Children Are Not Adults
Children do not generally think through problems the way adults do. Rather, they tend to feel them through or act on their impulses. Children tend to be a lot freer with their feelings; some of their expressions can be very strong, or even obnoxious. It is difficult to properly interpret expressions of feelings from children because of their limited vocabulary and life experience.
Children Feel Very Deeply
Since children are less inhibited with their feelings, they tend to express them without much reserve. It is difficult to determine how important something is for children because of their tendency to express every desire that comes to them.
Children Have Troubles
Children tend to have troubles with peer relationships, school, and siblings. Response to these problems can be in depression, anxiety, physical or verbal aggression, or psychosomatic problems. Some of these children have suffered a known or unknown trauma, while others may suffer an unknown neurological disorder.
Children Have Abilities
Every child has a unique personality as well as unique intellectual abilities. Personality characteristics include being internal or external in energy, low or high boundary in life, logical or intuitive in judgment, and concrete or abstract. There are also special personality characteristics in playing, relating, analyzing, or caretaking. Intellectual abilities include linguistic, mathematical, musical, artistic, visual-spatial, and memory. It is important for children to understand these strengths of personality and intelligence to foster good self-esteem.
Children Have Different Brains
Some children tend to be more “right brained” which endows them with musical, artistic, creative, and visual-motor abilities, while “left brained” children tend to favor reading, speaking, arithmetic, and property. The brains of girls and boys are usually wired somewhat differently. Some childrens’ brains have some wiring that makes life difficult for them, as is the case with ADHD, cognitively impairment, difficulties in physical activities, and reading.
Adolescents Are Very Special
Adolescence is a time of transition from childhood to adulthood. Teenagers present the challenge of being cognitively developed and emotionally expressive, but lacking in extensive life experience. Peer relationships are paramount for most, while other teenagers seem to avoid people. Adolescence is a crucial time for people to determine where they fit in the world, what they will do in adult life, and how to relate intimately.
Helping Our Children To Be All They Can Be
It is the task of parents to assist their children to find out who they are and what they can do in life. We at Samaritan Counseling Center assist parents and children with this task. It may be valuable for you to bring in your child for a “psych check” or to better understand your child’s strengths and abilities.