How To Help A Child Who Feels Lonely?

From time to time in our lives, we feel lonely. However, in childhood, some children feel more lonely than others. Some children are adept at making friendships, but some are shy and reserved, hence feel lonely. Your child might also take a long time to mingle with others. They might need more time to be comfortable with other people. Or they might lack the confidence to make friends.

If your child tells you that they feel lonely, you should know the reason for it. Essentially, you should ask them why they feel like that. In some cases, the children have social difficulties, non-verbal learning disorder, autism, or ADHD, which makes it difficult for them to make friends. However, in some cases, they might feel overwhelmed by a large social group. Your child might also struggle to make friends if they are depressed. They may want to keep themselves inside their rooms and may negatively interpret other people’s feelings. Some children struggle to make friends because they have different interests.

If you feel your child is lonely, you should ask them why! Talk if they do. If they do not talk about it, change the topic and get back to it after some time. You can also tell them about times you have felt lonely. Make them feel comfortable. Please never blame your child for being lonely. No one chooses it by themselves.

You can be the best friend for your child if they feel lonely. Therefore lend a hearing ear to them if they want to talk any time. Ask them how they feel about it and why they are lonely. Be supportive in the whole conversation. You can say sentences like it must have been tough for you, or you would have had a hard time dealing with it. Make them feel that you are listening to them and reassuring their feelings.

If your child feels overwhelmed with loneliness or does not have good health, you should consult a health care provider about it. To get an expert opinion, you can consult the Best Child Specialist in Lahore.

Loneliness for children can be tough in true meaning. If they feel that way, they will not like to go to school or might feel depressed using social media. To have fun and enjoyment, one needs to have friends with whom they can talk and socialize. For parents, it might be too hurtful that they can not do anything practical to help their child get rid of loneliness. However, you can help them in various ways.

 

Talk To Your Child

Communication is the essence of any relationship. Until you keep talking, the relationship grows, and you both become fonder of each other. Therefore you should talk to your child if they feel lonely. They can confide in you. Please ensure that you are not being judgemental or critical during the conversation. Instead, lend them an empathetic ear.

 

Acknowledge Their Feelings

When your child confides in you, make sure your tone is not harsh to them. And you acknowledge their feelings well. If you scold or blame them initially, they would not be comfortable sharing their emotions with you. Therefore be kind and gentle towards them. Make them feel that whatever they feel is right. And it is totally alright to feel that way. You need to acknowledge their emotions and whatever they feel.

 

Tell Them It Is Okay

Tell your child that it is okay to feel lonely. Everyone feels that way somewhere in their life. Therefore being alone does not mean that you are a failure.

 

The Bottom Line

Feeling lonely is not in someone’s hands. If your child feels that way, you should help them out. Make sure you do not create any more problems for them by being critical of them. In some cases, children get better as they grow up and intermingle with friends. Therefore in most cases, with time, things can change.

If your child has some developmental disorders, they might find it difficult to intermingle with friends. You must seek professional advice for them. To get an expert opinion, visit a Pediatrician in Karachi.