The modern world brings with it many challenges. As adults, we are conscious of the daily struggles which we face. However, have you ever considered the demands which sit upon our children’s little shoulders?!
The transition from childhood to adolescence is not an easy ride. We can all relate to this! However, the pressure which our youth faces today, can not be underestimated.
For many, life feels like a cauldron of confusion. Our children are lost! Why? Because the majority are not following their own hearts, but striving to be someone they believe they need to be! The mixed messages projected on social media, amongst friends and loved ones, heightens their desire to be “perfect”.
“Our children are still children”. However, we often forget this simple fact. Their fragile little minds don’t have the capacity to process the barrage of information which they are exposed too. At the tender age of 5 or 6 (or earlier), they are exposed to world which they can not comprehend.
Did you wonder whether an asteroid was going to hit us at the age of 5? I know I didn’t! I was oblivious to what an asteroid even was at that age. Playing aunties and uncles with my dolls kept me occupied.
Imagine having to deal with peer pressure, the desire to fit in, fear of missing out and the big one, meeting expectations!!
Before they are able to spell the word, they have developed the desire to manage expectations. Expectations of their friends, their teachers and their parents!
Our children want to be star of the week, they want to bring home awards to impress their parents. They want to be physically fit and win the swimming gala. They don’t want to come last in case people perceive them as a failure. It is important to them to be popular amongst their friends. Fashion matters, they want to have social media accounts, they want to have followers because for them, this is what being ‘liked’ looks like.
It is so important that we support our children. I know I keep saying this but communication is key. Engage in an open conversation with your children and understand how they are feeling. We need to know what they are thinking? It is crucial that we are present for them whilst they transition through each phase of their life. It is up to us to make them feel safe in a world which is full of all kinds of “crazy”.
It is important that we do not force our children to be who we want them to be, but encourage them to be who they want to be. We need to lift those expectations and allow our children to just be.
We all want to see our children thrive and accomplish good things. So, I invite you to allow your child to grow and develop organically. If we lift some of that pressure off them, we will be amazed with what we discover.
