Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei
Some believe that talking about the safety of the child is limited to his physical safety and protection from exposure to dangers, such as heights, sharp machines, electrical sockets, and other dangers that we stress the importance of avoiding, but in fact, and what should be emphasized, especially as we are these days celebrating On the Emirati Children’s Day, the safety of the child is an integrated unit that includes physical, psychological and mental safety, and most importantly, each of these types affects the other in a significant and profound way.
On the other hand, there is a great privacy for psychological safety, and care must be raised to the highest levels. The exposure of children to physical harm is often easy to notice, and if he is subjected to mental harm, we will certainly notice, but psychological harm requires us, we parents and those responsible for raising young children, an effort And greater awareness and knowledge to notice and realize it, and reach the extent of its impact. Children, especially from the young age groups, are not good at expressing the feelings that hurt them, nor about the damage they have suffered psychologically.
That is why choosing “Children’s Mental Health” was a slogan for Emirati Children’s Day, a successful choice, and a very important occasion to talk about the importance of mental health and its impact on physical and mental health, as it is the individual’s being, which puts him in a state of balance for healthy growth.
Therefore, it is necessary for parents to be aware of the signs of deteriorating mental health of the child. Perhaps one of the indications of this case is the emergence of an imbalance in the level of his academic achievement, or his increasing wandering and introvertedness, and his inability to make friends, and adapt to the social environment in which he lives.
It is important for parents to know that children’s needs are not limited to the physical aspects only, despite their importance. The psychological aspect also has its requirements, such as listening to children, observing their behavior and urging them to express themselves, and encouraging them to form friendships with their peers so that they do not fall into introversion and isolation. .
This calls for the parents and the school, as well, to follow up on the child to monitor any change in his behavior that indicates damage to his mental health, and to be aware of the importance of involving children in social life and pushing them to play with their peers in reality, instead of virtual games that increase their isolation and harm their mental health.
While reading this article, mothers and fathers may wonder, where do I get the information to protect my son psychologically, and how to enhance my knowledge in this aspect, and the answer to that is important and necessary, as we in the Child Safety Department offer many guidance and awareness materials. On the other hand, we call to refer to the books of specialists in education, psychology and child behavior, and point out the need to investigate the accuracy of the information transmitted about methods of education and psychological protection of children, especially those transmitted by some on social media platforms. The right thing is to consult the specialists.
Today, we in the UAE society are fortunate in the concerted efforts made to protect children, ensure their safety and provide their full rights.
Director of the Child Safety Department in Sharjah