Coping Skills

Parents must teach their children coping skills if they want them to survive and thrive in life. The times, they are not “a changing.” The times, they have “a changed” and if parents don’t tune in, their kids just might tune out!

We live in a world where the internet and technology have taken over our lives so much that car accidents occur because of texting while driving and talking on cell phones. Children are committing suicide because they are tormented over the internet because they are different in some way. Family dinners are not made up of conversation and catching up on family events. Mom, Dad and kids are texting and checking emails and Facebook. That is… if family dinners even exist anymore.

Everyone is expecting laws to protect our kids and the reality is that is time for parents to step in and place limits on their kid’s activities before another life is lost.

It’s not a tricky concept. Talk with your kids and more importantly, listen to them. Give them honest and sincere praise when they do something well. Hug them. Tell them that you love and respect them for who they are. When they do something wrong, give them consequences. Tell them and show them that you will always be there for them, no matter what!

Watch them interact with other kids and you will see the level of self esteem they have. Show your kids by your example that they should respect and be kind to all people no matter what their differences are. Teach them about The Golden Rule by your own actions and demand that they live by The Golden Rule also. Don’t strut and don’t allow them to strut.

Don’t over protect your kids to the point that you don’t allow them to experience hurt or pain. Life is filled with hurt and pain and while you are there to guide them, they need to learn how to deal with it. Don’t make your kids feel that if they aren’t perfect, they aren’t loved.

There are winners and losers in sports. Some kids are great at art, some at music, some at math and some at science. Some people get around in wheelchairs. Some are blind. Some are autistic. Some are deaf. Some are gay.

What is important is that we teach our children that every child has value and must be respected by peers, teachers and family in spite of and because of their differences. We must show them daily that that they need to respect themselves and we must help them to see and understand their own value.

Photo by LaurenMerek