Children

Our society expects childhood to be a time of playfulness, happiness, and innocence. However, this is not to say that this age is without deep anxieties, sadness and difficulties. In fact, the reality for some children is that childhood is full of anxiety, anger and awkwardness. Opposition to parents, hostility at siblings, social struggles, and anxiety around learning can feel so out of kilter with the idealised image of childhood that parents can feel at a loss as to what to do.

Childhood is predominantly a time of growing, learning and acquiring skills. From about seven to eleven, ideally the child learns to make and keep friends; to conform to social norms; to engage in imaginative play and creative pursuits; to read well and write creative stories and perform arithmetical calculations; to be considerate of others and to function as a member of a family. Achievement at the tasks of childhood inspires self-esteem and provides the best launching pad for adolescence. When things are going well there is often much innocent, playfulness and happiness. Being able to do today what I couldn't do last week provides a sense of achievement and fans further endeavour.

However, it is a delicate balance, and when things become out of balance, a cycle of perceived failure and struggle can stand in place of the cycle of accomplishment and pride. Things typically become out of balance when the emotions, thoughts and struggles experienced by the child are beyond the child's ability to process them.

Also see: Working with Children