THE IMPACT OF FAMILY ENVIRONMENT ON CHILDREN : MindsetOpediaDMHC Blogs

“The way you help heal the world is that you start with your own family.” – Mother Teresa

For generations, we have witnessed the evolution of family systems in our culture. Not only ourselves, but also our families have grown in perspective along with the changing times. This transformation has also succumbed us to check how we treat the little ones in the family, who are just born to enter the world. Yes, it is the children upon whom all the pros and cons of the family can be observed. But how does such a family environment impact the children? The answer lies in the saying that ‘one cannot hope for a mango fruit by sowing the seed of a chili’. Similarly, one cannot aspire for their children to grow with a positive and firm mindset when the family environment only provides sadness, anger and frustration like emotions. The child learns to absorb whatever the family gives him/her, in terms of skills, emotions, learning as well as mental and physical health. So, if the child is fed negative emotions, aggressive skills and anti-social behaviour then he/she develops a hostile personality along with poor mental and physical health. Such a child lacks assertive decision-making skills and social bonding with others. On the contrary, a child who is fed positive socio-emotional skills, confidence in intellect and an open relationship with parents to talk about mental health, grows to become an assertive yet compassionate adult.

However, one might wonder that hardships faced during childhood also teach children the truth about life and the importance of resilience. While this is true, such children also exhibit poor mental health and might lose control in the face of emotional upheaval. As an example, you can check your child’s or younger sibling’s mood when the family argues and when the family eats together happily. You will observe a drastic change in the child’s emotions as children respond best to positivity and love. Hence, optimistic family environment along with progressive parenting are key contributors in the formation of a positive and cheerful childhood.

Hope you have a cheerful day with your family!

By,

Archie Kohli

Council Member

WICCI-DMHC