Five things that determine the fate of a child

Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco recently began to study the stress level of the expectant mother and its relationship with the health of the baby. The experiment involved 151 women. Scientists monitored their condition throughout pregnancy and six months after. We paid special attention to the psychological state of expectant mothers.

Experts measured women’s stress levels by testing each week. In the course of the study, we recorded what problems pregnant women face: with work, with health, with a husband and relatives. In general, we tried to cover all spheres of women’s life. This was the first phase of the study, Woman’s Day reported.

The second came when the kids were six months old. Doctors studied how children react to stressful situations by measuring their heart rate. And it turned out that the children of those women who were most stressed during the second trimester of pregnancy react much more sharply to stimuli than their counterparts – the children of women who are lucky to do without extra nerves.

It turns out that an increased level of stress in a mother can leave an imprint on a child’s life. High reactivity is the culprit of frequent depression and excessive anxiety, behavior and socialization problems. And even physically such children are weaker – after illness they recover much longer.

Dad’s society, his love and support, both boys and girls need no less than mom’s attention. A boy needs a father as a role model. But for a son to want to follow an example from dad, he must become a friend to him. There is no need to attack the child when he cries, to force him to engage in “male” sports. The father himself should enjoy the time spent with his son; walks for two or excursions are quite suitable for this. It is desirable that the father and son have shared secrets.

The girl will not imitate her father. But her approval is necessary for her self-confidence. Dad can praise for a beautiful dress or hairstyle, or best of all, for something she did with her own hands. The girl learns to appreciate the qualities in her father that make him a real man, and then she chooses such a person as her life companion who will be like her father. Her family life will be largely determined by the relationship that she had with her father as a child.

Watching TV often and for a long time is completely unhelpful. This prevents the child from developing their own learning skills. When the child and mother watch movies or cartoons together, it is less useful than reading and playing together. According to American Academy of Pediatrics, there shouldn’t be a TV set in the nursery at all. Yes, and it is also better not to keep it in the kitchen: watching TV while eating is harmful to digestion.

In general, the best place for the “best friend of the family” is in the living room. And it is really better to watch it all together, so that later you can discuss what you saw with the baby. Choose educational programs or those that teach something good – empathy, tolerance, good behavior, in the end.

Children who are bullied by peers often suffer from increased anxiety afterwards. In addition, they usually have lower levels of education and income.

A study conducted by doctors from a hospital in the American Boston found that fifth grade students who were constantly bullied by classmates had the lowest physical and emotional health indicators by high school. Therefore, it is very important that parents are alert and vigilant for signs that indicate that their child is being bullied. Pay attention to every bruise, every abrasion, every cut, and your reluctance to go to school. Teachers and parents should teach children not to remain silent if they are being abused by peers or seeing others being bullied. Only timely prevention of violence among children will help to avoid serious problems in adulthood.

When a child sees dad beating mom, mom yells at dad, and together they spank him, sisters and brothers, but his whole pyramid of needs collapses. Recall that one of the basic needs is security. If a child does not feel safe even at home, then outside of it he will feel defenseless and helpless. Moreover, children often consider themselves guilty that their parents are at odds with each other.

Children who have experienced violence themselves, or even witnessed only, very often make problems in emotional, physical or cognitive development. 50 to 70 percent of children who have experienced domestic violence suffer from PTSD, the MINCAVA Family Violence Nursing Curriculum cites statistics. Depending on the child’s age, symptoms may include sleep disturbances, attention disorder, depressed mood, problems with school performance, and self-harm. Studies show that children who have experienced domestic violence need psychological help five times more often than other peers.