Joseph Cianciotto: Talking to Children Who are Upset

 Joseph Cianciotto: Helping Children When They're Upset

unicef.org

Joseph Cianciotto has always maintained that communication is key in raising children to be good adults later in life. According to him, choosing the right words to tell your child when upset can make a difference in helping them understand themselves better. It is vital to allow them to grow and flourish as good humans.

Today, Joseph Cianciotto discusses how parents can talk to their upset children.

First, it's natural for children to experience various emotions, including sadness and frustration. However, some parents may feel uncomfortable when their children express these feelings. Rather than acknowledging their child's distress, they may try to minimize it, viewing it as a sign of weakness. This approach can be harmful in the long term, as it teaches children to suppress their emotions and avoid discussing their feelings.

Instead, parents can foster emotional resilience by validating their child's experiences, reassuring them that feeling upset is okay, and offering support and guidance in navigating difficult emotions. By doing so, parents can help their children develop healthy coping skills and learn to express their feelings constructively.

The leading experts in psychology advise applying caution in this approach because this might suggest that being genuine about how one feels is wrong. Let your child know that there is no problem with being upset. After that, ask them why they feel that way. That is the best starting point in arriving at a solution, says Joseph Cianciotto.

Next, parents should let their children know they're always there for them. When a child is upset, many things go on inside their head all at the same time. They might not yet have the maturity to comprehend everything that affects them.

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The space surrounding an upset child is lonely, and the least you can do is tell them you are always there for them. This takes away pressure on the child, mentions Joseph Cianciotto. It also opens the possibility for their healing.

Reminding the child to pause momentarily and breathe is also very helpful. This statement is powerful because it shows your child that you want to deal with the immediate problem as a first step.

If your child is upset, it may take time to reach a sensible state. Until they reach that state of stability, you cannot start processing the problem. So never rush your child and force them to tell you the problem immediately.

Joseph Cianciotto promotes the creation of meaningful relationships between family members. He reaches out to his readers by giving them parenting advice. For more updates, visit this page.