What is meant by Mental Abuse against Children ?

It is a manner of behavior that causes harms in the mental growth of the child or his self estimation.

Dear mother\father… if you did any of these behaviors with your child:

• Didn’t let him take his own decision

• Threatened him

• Kept him away from his friends

• Ignored his feelings

• Insulted him

• Humiliated him

• Deprived him from sleeping

• Labeled him crazy

• Refused him

• Scared him

• Intended to offend him

• Withhold him in a dark place

• Deprived him from pity and passion

• Ridiculed him

• Screamed at him

• Discriminated against him

• Focused in talking with him on his sex not his behavior…

Then, Remember you are practicing mental abuse against your child.

Wrong Believes:

• Child abuse is confined on beating and physical and sexual abuse only.

• Who practice abuse against children are only strangers.

• Child is his parents' possess and can use him as they want.

The Fact is:

• Any kind of wrong behavior against children is abuse like insult, humiliation, giving unacceptable names for them as well as ignoring their opinions.

• Most of abuse forms happened by the child's close and confidential people.

• The child is trust with his parents and they are responsible at him.

Violence is a mean to abolish the other (Child)

So we have to know that:

• Our children must be loved and desired.

• Causing children feel that useless or exaggeration in estimating them may lead to deviation.

• Repressing children's desires or exaggeration in achieving it corrupts mental, emotional and social growth.

• Discrimination between children (boy and girl; beautiful and unbeautiful; normal and abnormal; young and old) represents mental risk on children and leads to serious social diseases.

• Involving children in the family's daily decision positively contributes in building up them mentally and encourages them to be responsible.

Democracy is participation, equality and recognition of the other (children)

Regardless their capacities, sex, color and religion.

Pay attention for these behaviors and symptoms as they are consequences of mental abuse against children:

• If our children's behaviors change and tends to silence and isolation.

• If they get more shy.

• If they become nervous suddenly.

• If their aggression increase against their siblings and peers.

• If they got more depressed.

• If their educational achievement worsened.

• If they became careless .

• If they tend to drop out from school.

• If they exceed the proper limits of their feelings and demands.

Furthermore, if they show any of these symptoms :

• Pains in the back, feet, arms, or stomachache.

• Constant headache.

• Thinking or attempting committing suicide.

• Feeling of inferiority.

• Problems in speech and stuttering.

• Nightmares and dreams.

• Figure suckling and nails, bed witting and eating disorders either increasing or decreasing…

What shall we do?

Observe our children from a distance without controlling their behaviors, beside giving them a space of freedom.

Not to insult them whatever the reasons were.

Not defame their defects or flaws before others.

Provide them limits and the possibility for choices.

Accustom them with self discipline.

Be clear and accurate in guiding them.

Use both reward and punishment in educating them, but not to humiliate them.

Praise their positive behavior and encourage them to repeat it, and help them pass the wrong behavior.

Supporting them and giving them positive directions about themselves (e.g. you are good, and deserve good treatment)

Encouraging them to undertake deeds that enhance their self-confidence.

Try to evoke their personal abilities, such as asking them how they can help their friends in a specific case.