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Feeling vulnerable -

In an increasingly busy and often complicated world, it's no surprise that children can feel vulnerable and overwhelmed.

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In need of support -

Without guidance and support a child may have trouble navigating a course through early life. 

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A guiding hand -

In fact, if they don't have the right person in their lives to guide them, a youngster can easily end up in harm's way. 

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Making a difference -

A child needs mentors, be it parents, guardians, older siblings, or teachers—people that can make a positive difference in their lives. 

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Adjusting to change -

Children need extra support in addressing their feelings while adjusting to change. 

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New skills, new strategies -

Building these foundations helps a child learn new skills and strategies. It provides the resources they need to face new challenges and helps them better deal with new or different things.

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Dealing with change -

Indeed, helping kids learn to deal with change is critical to their development. 

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Providing a head start -

So, how can we give a child a head start in life? Well, one of the best ways of making a difference is to understand their needs.  

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Acknowledgment -

A youngster needs to feel acknowledged. In many cases, all a child requires is your time attention and time.

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Taking more care -

Taking time to address a child's questions and concerns is the first step in making them feel heard and cared for. 

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An emotional time -

Talking with the children in your life helps them work through their emotions. 

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Dealing with issues -

Identifying problems a child may be facing is key in identifying complex mental or physical issues they may be experiencing. 

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Identifying problems -

If a child is struggling with naming what they are experiencing, help them label the emotion. For example, ask them if they are feeling sad, nervous, or anxious. Perhaps they're worried or scared? 

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Reach out -

If the issue is something you cannot help with, reach out to professionals, counselors for example, or welfare organizations, who have the skills and resources to help. 

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Providing the foundations -

Structure and stability serve as the building blocks in any child's life. Dismantle these foundations and a youngster can feel confused and disorientated. 

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Learning life skills -

Big life changes severely test a child. The older we get the more resilient we are to change. We have the life skills to adapt. But for a six-year-old, disruption to their normal life can be quite bewildering.  

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Managing change -

Managing change is a test for both children and adults. We are by definition creatures of habit. But how do you prepare a young mind for something as traumatic as a divorce? This is perhaps an extreme example but it illustrates the care and patience needed by a parent to explain the shift in the family dynamic, and the consequences a child can expect as a result. 

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Building resilience -

Making a difference is about formulating effective strategies that help make a child feel safe, adjust, and build resilience. 

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The education process -

It's also about giving a child time to prepare for a change in their life. A good example is starting school. Talk about the challenges they can expect in a classroom environment. But point out, too, all the great things they will learn, and the new friends they will make.  

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Formative years -

Tutors play an especially important role in changing the lives of children. The first year of elementary school, or first grade, is a formative stage of childhood. 

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Learning about life -

Kids in first grade learn more quickly than at any other time in life. If they're taught properly and willing to study, a child can make huge strides in life during this period. 

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Developing social skills -

Life in school provides a child with vision and purpose. It also helps reinforce identity and advances social skills. And hey, after the bell rings, they still have their old neighborhood buddies to hang out with!

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The role sport plays -

Never underestimate the role sport plays in making a difference to a child's life. Besides providing a good physical workout, sport develops a healthy competitive edge—a useful quality to possess later in life. 

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Team-building exercise -

And sport can help motivate and build team spirit among children, again useful assets that can be put to good use as they grow up.  

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The written word -

School is a change for the better. But if a child is still perturbed by the role expected of them, there are plenty of children's books written to help kids cope with major life changes. 

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Treading the learning curve -

Growing up is to tread a steep learning curve. Kids need to know what they will routinely encounter in life. In any given situation, parents or guardians need to be as honest and as direct as possible when telling their child what to expect. 

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Moving with the times -

Take moving house, for example. It's a stressful event even for adults, so imagine how a child might cope. Again it's about helping kids deal with change. Remind a child who is moving that they will still have their family with them, and reinforce the positives that might come with the change, like having their own room. 

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Food for thought -

Stick to routine. Remember, children need security and stability. Structure is vital. Mealtimes should remain consistent and, whenever possible, should be a family affair. 

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Time for bed -

Likewise, bedtime should be at an agreed hour. Reading a child to sleep is the perfect way of introducing the Sandman into their weary imagination. 

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Celebrating life! -

Celebrate birthdays with people and parties. It's amazing how adults can still recall a celebration from decades ago because of the friends who were present and the gifts unwrapped.  

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Lifestyle choices -

Always give a child choices. This can be as simple as asking what color you should paint their room, or what meal they'd like for dinner. And if they want a pet, would they prefer a dog or a cat? 

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Kids are the future -

Ultimately, making a difference is about maintaining a connection with your children. Kids are the future of the world and decisions made now can affect them for the rest of their lives. Talk with them, play with them, love them. 

Sources (Simply Education) (Verywell Family)

See also: What kind of future do our children face? 

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