Children always say what's wrong with loneliness and solitude

Children often say that loneliness may be related to factors such as lack of companionship, insufficient social skills, changes in family environment, psychological pressure, and unmet emotional needs. Loneliness is a common emotional response in children's growth process, but its long-term persistence may affect their mental health.

1. Lack of companionship

In modern families, parents are busy working or the age gap between brothers and sisters is large, which may lead to the lack of interaction objects for children. Preschool children need at least 1 hour of high-quality parent-child interaction every day, and parents can increase effective companionship through reading picture books, role-playing games, and other means. School aged children need to pay attention to whether their after-school alone time is too long.

2. Insufficient social skills

Some children have difficulty actively establishing peer relationships due to their introverted personality or lack of social skills. Manifested as withdrawal from collective activities, refusal to attend birthday parties, etc. Parents can create small social opportunities, such as inviting 1-2 children of the same age to play at home, gradually cultivating social confidence. Avoid forcing children into large unfamiliar social environments.

3. Changes in family environment

Major life events such as moving, transferring schools, and parental divorce can undermine a child's sense of security. Young children may express loneliness through clinginess and crying, while school-age children seek attention by repeatedly mentioning loneliness. At this point, it is necessary to maintain a regular lifestyle, use body language such as hugs to convey a sense of security, and patiently listen to children's emotional expressions.

4. Psychological pressure

Academic competition, overload of talent classes, and other pressures may cause children to develop an avoidance mentality, manifested as a false loneliness of refusing social interaction. It is necessary to observe whether there are physiological signals such as decreased appetite and sleep disorders accompanying it. Reduce the number of extracurricular classes appropriately, set aside free play time every day, and help children rebuild positive cognition of interpersonal communication.

5. Emotional needs are not met

Some children may appear lively on the surface but actually feel lonely inside, due to emotional expressions not being responded to seriously. It is recommended that parents avoid perfunctory conversations and focus on listening for 15 minutes every day. Use open-ended questions such as "Do you feel lonely because you want to play with children?" to guide and express your feelings. For adolescent children, it is important to respect their growing need for independence. When a child expresses feelings of loneliness for more than two weeks and experiences a decrease in interest or refusal to attend school, it is recommended to seek evaluation from a child psychologist. In daily life, parents can lead their children to participate in community parent-child activities, and keeping pets can also cultivate a sense of responsibility and emotional attachment. Be careful to avoid using electronic devices as a substitute for real interaction, and ensure daily outdoor exercise time to help regulate emotions. Establishing stable family rituals such as weekend baking and bedtime storytelling can effectively enhance children's sense of belonging and security.