Encouraging Healthy Childhood Development
Responding in a Predictable Way
The child might have been living in an unpredictable home if their parent's substance use disorder caused them to be unpredictable. Unpredictability can cause great stress and anxiety for the child.
Create Routines
Being Warm
A child can feel their caregiver being warm, and it can help the child have a secure attachment style, boost emotional regulation, and create a barrier from stress and anxiety. The warmth creates a safe and trusting space.
Routines for a child are extremely important. Routines provide stability and security for the child. This is something can often be lacking when a child has a parent with substance use disorder. It encourages emotional regulation and cognitive growth. When a child has consistent bedtimes and meal times, it offers the child great health benefits. It is important to make routines age appropriate. PBS has some beneficial examples of routines for different ages. https://www.pbs.org/parents/routines
Chores
Chores prepare the child to care for themselves so when they become adults, they are able to be independent. The child can learn time management skills and organization skills. The child begins to have some responsibility. The child can learn to balance work and play.
Age Appropriate Discipline
Discipline can be very challenging for caregivers, but it creates opportunities for the child to learn accountability which is a great life skill for the child to develop. It teaches the child to understand consequences and emotional regulation. It is exceptionally important that the discipline is age appropriate.
Instill Rules
Rules can be a cause of push back and tension between caregiver and child; however, rules are so important for child development. It creates safety. It provides structure and clear expectations. The child does not have to guess what is expected of them. It creates consistency and character development. The rules should be creating order in the home and safety for the child. Rules need to have a clear indication of why instead of "because I say so".
Open Communication
Open communication creates a strong relationship between the caregiver and the child. When caregivers have open communication with their child, they allow for emotions to be expressed and discussed. This promotes self-esteem, confidence, and approriate decision making skills. This also will carry on to relationships later in life. It is important for the child learn how to communicate early in life so that other relationships outside of the home can be successful.
