A psychologist has delved into why the child you should worry about isn’t the one who is the loudest or the most outspoken.
While it might be natural to focus your attention on rowdier behaviour as a parent, in reality, the child to worry about is the quietest one.
Psychologist Maria Gambino urges parents not to overlook their ‘easy-going’ child, as their laid-back nature might be at odds with their developmental needs.
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The child this psychologist worries about the most
She shares: ‘The easier your child is, the more concerned I would be as a therapist. Easygoing, compliant, cooperative are usually the most suppressed.’
Maria goes on to explain that children who ‘go with the flow’ might have learned at a young age that their needs don’t matter and have adapted their behaviour accordingly.
‘They learned early on that there’s not a lot of space for their needs, or there shouldn’t be.’
‘They shouldn’t burden too many other people in the family system, so they stay under the radar. They go with the flow; they’re easy.’
Maria urges parents to ‘make it their business’ to ensure that the child’s needs are met and their opinions validated, even if that means giving them a little push.
@mariagambinohq ♬ original sound – Maria Gambino
‘Probe them, say no, no, no, I really do wanna know what you think. I’ll wait there all day until you give me your opinion.
‘No, you pick the restaurant, which shirt do you want, help them have a sense of self that is worthy of taking up space,’ she adds.
