Sure, some kids come home crying and ready to open up and let you know what’s bothering them but not all do. No two children are the exact same and each of them is going to handle stress, anger, and even pain in his or her own ways.
If you are a parent, you have most likely picked up on how your kids face their problems and how they make it known to you that they either need to talk or need to spend some time cooling down. I recently saw a quote online that said “Children don’t say ‘I had a hard day. Can we talk?’ They say ‘Will you play with me?” and this quote really got my gears grinding within and made me think about my own situations and how the children around me express themselves in this sense. One small four year old in particular much like the children this quote is referring to also asks to play when she seems upset.
She doesn’t come out and say that she had a bad day or that someone was being mean to her at daycare, she just takes it all in and does her best to forget about it. When she comes to me wanting to play she knows it gives us a chance for me to pick up on the energies she is sending out. If she is a bit closed off and seems down it provides me with the opportunity to ask her about her day, about how she’s feeling, and through that to get to the bottom of what’s bothering her. She isn’t just going to come up to me and start spewing her thoughts about the things that have made her upset, she’s just not that kind of child.
Not all kids are good at making things known, and we as their caregivers need to be able to pick up on the small changes that could signify something is bothering them. Whether they open up or not just by sharing your time with them and doing something fun you are brightening their day, providing them with a smile, and allowing them to free themselves. Regardless of their age, you need to keep this in mind.
While you might be busy, making time to spend with your kids (especially when it’s time they’ve asked you for) is a big deal. This helps them grow in so many ways and progresses your relationship with them drastically. They through this learn that they can truly count on you.