WELLBEING TIP
Am I an overprotective parent?
All children are precious, and all parents want to protect their children from physical, mental, or emotional harm. Children are far more resilient than they’re given credit for! Kids need the ability to learn how to “bounce back” and overcome everyday difficulties independently.
An overprotective parent can create a child who is incapable to deal with what life may throw their way. The child may be so used to having a parent make their decisions, clean up their mess or deal with small challenges, they may find the simplest difficulty overwhelming.
If your child always expects you to swoop in every time, they may not fully develop self-esteem or resilience. If you do everything for them (from getting them dressed to completing homework), they may start expecting you to do other simple things that they can and should do by themselves. They may also be hesitant to take on new challenges or wait for issues to be sorted out as they are yet to be allowed to develop these skills.
If you stop a child from being independent, they may become overly anxious of trying new things. They may worry they’re going to get hurt or rejected and eventually shy away from new experiences.
It is important to give children space for decision making on their own. Of course, we can advise them, but we want to encourage our children to be independent thinkers with their own confident opinions.
Do you answer YES to these?
Do you make decisions for your child without giving them options?
If your child wants to try something new, do you get them to do what you want as it’s “safer”?
Do you frequently step in and “rescue” your child from a situation because you think they can’t handle it?
Are you always with them during parties or events just in case something happens that you think they can’t handle?
You could be that overprotective parent.
Now for the science bit… children process information with the amygdala. This is responsible for the perception of emotions such as anger, fear, sadness and controlling aggression. It helps store memories of events and emotions so that the child may be able to recognise similar events in the future. Perfect for decision making and resilience!
Adults use the prefrontal cortex which controls perception, personal expression, decision making, and controlling social behaviour.
Basically...an adult's thought process is totally different to that of a child.
Let them make mistakes... let them learn… it’s all a part of growing up
Health Protection Update - Measles
The latest UKHSA health protection data shows there has been a rise in measles cases. Between 1 January and 20 April this year, there have been 49 cases of measles compared to 54 cases in the whole of 2022. Most of the cases have been in London, although there have been cases picked up across the country and some are linked to travel abroad.
With cases of measles on the rise in the UK and across the world, Hampshire County Council is reminding young adults - as well as their parents - about the importance of catching up with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine or other vaccines, ahead of any summer travel and festival plans.
Councillor Liz Fairhurst, Hampshire County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health said: “Due to the pandemic, some people may have missed getting their routine vaccines and are not fully protected, which puts them at risk of catching and spreading serious illnesses. We strongly urge Hampshire residents to take this opportunity to check they’re up to date with their vaccines before their summer holidays or attending any festivals. Vaccination not only protects someone’s health but also helps prevent the spread of diseases within our communities.”
“Many young people might not be aware that they’ve missed out on important vaccinations and that’s where parents and carers can help. Having a conversation with a young adult about the importance of vaccination can help protect them, especially if they’re about to mix with large numbers of people at events or while travelling. If you’re unsure if yours or your child’s vaccinations are up to date, contact your GP Practice to find out.”
As a reminder, some of the vaccines that young people should have had by age 14 include:
- Vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and whooping cough. These are given at various points throughout childhood, with a booster given in school year nine.
- The MMR vaccine - two doses of which should be given by the time a child starts school but can be provided at any point thereafter if any doses are missed. This vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps and rubella.
- Meningitis vaccines, which include the Meningitis B, HiB/Meningitis C and Meningitis ACWY vaccine. The last of these is given to children who are in school years nine and 10.
- The HPV vaccine, which helps protect against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus and is given to both boys and girls at 12 to 13 years of age.
It is never too late to get vaccinated. If anyone has missed one or both doses of the MMR jab, or any of the other routine childhood vaccinations, they should contact their GP practice to book an appointment – or to check which they might have missed.
Further information about vaccinations can be found on the NHS website.
