Dear Parents: Spend Time With Your Child

The other day I was watching some children.  I wore my wrist brace since my wrist had been bothering me lately (I think it’s carpel tunnel).

“I wish I had to wear that,” said the little girl next to me.  

“Why?” I asked.  Wearing it wasn’t the issue.  I was more annoyed with the pain that etched at my wrist from typing so much.  Over the past five years the pain had steadily increased and had started effecting daily activities.

I don’t remember word for word what her response was, but it was because she wanted attention.  She wanted to be hurt for attention.  In fact, she had already planned out what she would want to hurt.

“I want to break my ankle,” she said.

Believe it or not, I wasn’t completely shocked.  I remember being her age wishing I wore glasses and had braces.

Why do children wish horrible thing upon themselves?  For attention.

Everyone craves attention, but I think we can all agree that it’s unhealthy to harm ourselves to get it.  I know for a fact that this little girl wouldn’t go and deliberately break her ankle, but here she was telling me she hoped it would happen.

I could be wrong, but I have a theory.  Perhaps if children receive the amount of attention they need, then they won’t wish for themselves to be hurt in order to win more.

Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT a professional, and I am NOT dissing parents.  I think parents should have as much mercy at they can since, after all, they’re raising another person.

No, my purpose of writing this is not to put anyone down, but rather to encourage you to spend time with your child if you have the time.

Growing up, all I ever wanted was to spend time with my parents.  When Mom told my brother and I we were going to be home schooled, I was overjoyed.  Why?  Because I thought I was going to spend the entire day with her every day.  It’s such a joy for children to be with their parents – even if they don’t always act like it.

Now, I know there are some children who want – even demand – too much attention, more than any one person can give.  I am not encouraging such behavior, but rather the time spent together among families.  It meant a lot to me as a child, and I’m sure it would mean a lot to many others.

Perhaps if children understood how much they were loved at home they would feel more secure and know better than to wish terrible things upon themselves.  Just a theory.

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