Children go through a lot of different phases as they grow from infants up through adolescence and teenage years. Their personalities blossom and adapt to new social and emotional stimuli. It can be challenging as a parent to determine whether a child’s behavior is a phase that will pass within a few months or whether it is an issue that may need professional help to overcome. This is particularly true when you are dealing with a difficult child.

As your child grows up you may find yourself asking whether their behavior is normal or if there is a deep-seeded issue that is causing them to act out. Depending on their age and stage of development these issues can look a lot different. For a toddler, it may be tantrums when they are told they cannot have or do something. For an elementary school-aged child, it may be learning self-discipline or recognizing good choices. For teenagers, the trouble can come from self-esteem issues and social pressures. When these issues are affecting your child on a daily basis it becomes a cause for concern.

Questions to ask

Here is a list of questions you can ask yourself to get an idea of whether counseling could help your child:

• Does my child have a hard time dealing with meeting new people?
• Does my child struggle to keep up in school?
• Does my child have a hard time controlling his/her temper at home or school?
• Does my child get into a lot of fights with siblings/friends?
• Does my child have a hard time sitting still?
• How does my child react when confronted about poor behavior?

Answering these questions can be beneficial in helping you observe what your child is doing. If you feel any of your answers were worrisome then call us at Corner Canyon Counseling and we can go over more specific concerns with you and your child. We specialize in treating children and adolescents with disorders from ADHD to anxiety, eating disorders and more.

Pay Attention To Your Child

The most important thing you can do is to pay attention to your child. Spend quality time with them. Talk with them and be involved with what they are doing. If your child is old enough, consider talking to them about the concerns you have. They may know what their issue is and be able to tell you how they feel about it. If you recognize an issue, but cannot get your child to open up then bringing them to a professional counselor may provide an open space where they will feel comfortable to open up and begin working through their struggles.