How to Help an Impressionable Child

Have you noticed certain changes to your child’s attitude, motivation, or academic performance? The first thing you should do is discuss it with them so they’re aware of the possible consequences of their actions.

Then, you can work together to figure out why they might be getting influenced. To learn more, you can ask them a few questions:

• “What do you think will happen if you express your opinion?”
• “Can you explain to me why you copied your friend?”
• “How do you feel about the choice you made?”
• Etc.

Impressionable children often think that everyone is special except for them. As a result, they tend to do or say things to get a rise out of their peers. Here are some things you can say to help your child see themselves more accurately:

• “Diversity makes the world beautiful.”
• “To make true friends, you need to be yourself.”
• “Friends don’t stop liking each other just because they have different opinions.”
• “Do these actions reflect the person you would like to be?”
• “How can we fix the situation?”
• Etc.

To have a strong sense of self-worth, you need to have good self-esteem. Since impressionable children often lack self-esteem and tend to believe their opinion is worthless, it’s important to rectify the situation. To help build your child’s self-esteem, you can do the following:

• Encourage their efforts
• Spend quality time with them
• Listen to their ideas
• Point out their qualities
• Etc.

Learning to express your opinion and assert yourself is possible and begins at home. Encourage your child to talk about their needs and share their thoughts by giving them the opportunity to assert their opinion on different topics:

• What to eat for dinner
• When to start their homework
• When to have bath time
• Etc.

The better a child can differentiate between good and bad influences, the easier it will be for them to assert themselves and set boundaries. To help them understand, you can encourage them to question their behaviours when they’re around certain people:

• “Am I afraid to express my ideas?”
• “Am I uncomfortable when I copy this person?”
• “What is my inner voice telling me?”
• “Do I respect myself when I act this way?”
• Etc.