Common issues for children

Even the healthiest and happiest of children experience problems that can be difficult for them to deal with. In these cases kids rely heavily on their parents to improve their coping and wellbeing. This can then be stressful for parents — we don’t get a manual for this stuff!

The question to ask is: Where do behavioural issues and problems come from? The answer is that difficult behaviours are there for an underlying reason; all behaviour serves some function. If your children have some problematic behaviours, then it is certain that a need is not being met.

The most basic needs a child has are a sense of security and safety, and the ability to explore. See the below graphic from Circle of Security.

So keep in mind that as long as your child has a sense of safety, security and support, they have a head start. A child always needs to feel safe coming to their parent. A child needs to know that their parent will always love them, no matter what.

This is called having a secure attachment. A child with secure attachment will be well equipped to deal with stress and problems. Further, the attachment style a child learns from their parent has life-long effects.

Sometimes, though, there can be external factors that can have negative impacts on wellbeing. We still need to know how to respond appropriately to such things. Below is a list of common issues for children with some helpful parenting strategies.

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