Many children face emotional difficulties from time to time. Feelings of anger, loss, sadness, and emotional extremes are part of growing up. Disagreements between parents and children might be unavoidable as children struggle from the “terrible twos” through adolescence to create their identities. These are common changes in behavior due to growth and development. Such problems can be more typical in times of change for the family, such as the death of a family member, a new baby, or a move. Usually, these kinds of problems tend to fade on their or with limited visits to a counselor or other mental health professionals as children adjust to the changes in their lives.
On occasion, however, some children may develop intense emotional and behavioral responses to situations in their lives that persevere over time. The recognition that a child’s behavior requires the help of an expert can be frightening to parents who have tried to support their child, or it may be accepted and internalized as a failure by the parent.
If you are facing any of these issues, seeking private counseling is a good way to start the process of finding out what is going on with your child’s emotional health. Also, make sure you are working with the school counselor. Professional school counselors are a great resource as you begin looking into behaviors that the school is observing. Creating a partnership between school and the therapist is vital in helping your child through the tough times as they grow and mature.
