Kids Meet Hard Facts – How To Help Them Cope

Kids often need to deal with the hard and harsh facts of life, and for every parent, the problem is how to help them cope. It need not revolve around the death of a loved one to upset them, either. It could be finding out that their long-held beliefs are not real. Read on to find out more. 

Rational Beings Despite Their Youth

Children are the lucky ones, you might think. Innocently, they believe in Tooth Fairies, and Disney movies become truths for them. Often, it’s only later in life that they realize princesses don’t live in a forest full of flowers. And, there’s no way Santa could really land a sleigh on the roof.

In reality, there’s little chance of meeting up with a cuddly alien or finding a dragon to train. These are mere fictional stories for adults. But to little kids, the imagination knows no boundaries. And sometimes, it’s up to parents to help them cope when they find out that real life is often painful. However, it should be noted that children are rational beings.

Breaking The Bad News

The fact that children might not be as fragile as parents think was highlighted in an article by Peter Ellerton in The Conversation. The Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Education from The University of Queensland noted:

Children are far more rational than we give them credit for. And they are far more capable of deep insights than we usually imagine.

With that in mind, there are ways you can help them cope when the world comes crashing down. Speaking about the discovery that Santa isn’t real, or the Easter Bunny doesn’t actually exist, he noted that it can be devastating for them to find out. And they will. If you don’t help the kids find out the truth, someone else will. 

The Best Way To Help

The expert explained that communication is key. In part, he said: “Help them make sense of the world through frequent and long conversations. Making meaning is the prime function of language…talking is critical.”

How do you know how your kid views the world? The answer lies in talking to them: “Talk about issues big and small, and give them the chance to ask things that take time to well up in conversation.”

Dealing With Death

People die all the time, unfortunately, and probably most children will hear about that. Once again, talking about it and getting them to ask questions can help parents through the difficult situation. According to Nemours Kids Health, simple and factually delivered news, accompanied by hugs, can help.

Here’s what you can do to ease the news once you deliver it:

Provide the comfort your child needs but don’t dwell on sad feelings. After a few minutes of talking and listening, shift to an activity or topic that helps your child feel a little better. Play, make art, cook, or go somewhere together.

Did you ever need to talk to your child about life’s hard knocks? Let us know in the comments below how you helped them to cope, and come back here often for all your news about parenting, children, and young lives.