A Feature Article
Sometimes getting children to open up can be difficult — especially when they are going through something like depression.
They may not know how to explain themselves. So approaching the subject by listening can make all the difference because kids usually do not communicate or exteriorize their feelings in an easy way.
Parents should know best if their children are having bad day or slipping into depression.
"My one recommendation to parents ... let them talk," says Dr. Vanessa Jensen, a psychologist with Cleveland Clinic's Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health.
If a child doesn't open up the first time, keep bringing it up. But be somewhat clever in your approach, she says. Talk about your own experiences or what you've observed about your child's behavior.
"So, observations might be, 'Ya know, I noticed you look kind of worried. That look on your face makes me think something is going on.' So start with what you see," Jensen says.
Most important: Listen and don't be afraid to ask the tough questions — the ones you might not want to know the answer to.
"Do you ever get so down you don't want to be here? Or do you want to be dead?" Jensen says.
Signs of depression include a remote attitude, dropping grades, isolation, and mood swings.
Ask your children how their day went. It might get the conversation going. If they are falling asleep while doing homework or are grumpy, burnout may be the diagnosis.
Getting that conversation going could help parents and kids agree that scaling back on activities might be the answer.
In conclusion, talk to your children and try to understand them, especially when many are neglected at home because parents work for a long journey and usually they only can see their children during the weekends. So, the question is, is quality time enough?
By Carlos Mafio Granados, Step 9
