By Sumaiyah Ali

Child abuse possesses many reasons, forms, and symptoms. Societies should prevent emotional abuse in children. Emotional abuse is a behavior, a speech, and an action. It exerts negative effects on the minds of kids. The United States believes that it deteriorates a sense of self-worth which damages the entire personality of an individual. Considering its prevalence and significance, we have chosen this theme to help you understand child emotional abuse.

Understanding Child Emotional Abuse 

How do elders mistreat children emotionally?

Parents call toddlers by their bad names. They snub them and threaten them. Adults allow them to witness psychological abuse by others. Caretakers do not appreciate toddlers. They do not direct them. Grownups do not hug them.

They compare children to others and say that they are detrimental. Adults believe that these dear angels are evil, of no good, and a mistake. Parents do not regard them but offer them silent treatments. Elders talk badly about kids. They do not embrace them fondly. Parents yell at them.

Adults belittle them in public. They punish them severely. Caretakers admit that they loathe them openly. They are indifferent toward their existence. Grownups set unrealistic expectations of munchkins. Parents do not acknowledge their capabilities. They do not allow them to discover the world.

Children cannot express themselves and make amigos. They think that they are isolated. Parents threaten to slaughter pets, for example. Caregivers intimidate them. Elders pass sarcastic comments. They encourage them to take part in antisocial behaviors.

Elders handle a kid worse. They are not concerned about them. Mothers accuse them of their disability for instance. Abusers do not allow munchkins to contact anyone. They want little ones to dote on them only. Parents demean and criticize them.

Mothers spend time on Facebook and do not pay attention to their little ones. Stepmother criticizes them. Fathers yell at children. Teachers ridicule toddlers because they have difficulties with writing. Babysitters scream at kids. Fathers do not get involved in the lives of children. These represent instances of emotional abuse in children.

Do you ever think what are the reasons behind it? The reasons could be financial crises,  separated parents, broken families, divorces, fathers abusing substances, abusive husbands, child fighting disabilities, depression, unhealthy marriages, unable to afford kids, policies to support children are insufficient, no acceptance in society, and so on.  Such kind of behavior spoils the children’s ability to think well or even they can’t move in society. This causes adverse effects on their personality, such as; children feeling alone, they do worse at school, they are not capable of doing jobs, complaining about their physical health, stomach aches for unknown reasons, and toddlers losing interest in social activities. This way, their emotional development becomes regressive.

They suffer from brain damage or experience difficulties in learning. They suffer from depression, for example; they want to injure themselves or others purposely, they suffer from negative self-esteem, and they have personality disorders. Also, they love their parents but dread the consequences of reporting them to someone abusive. However, this way,  abuse becomes a part of life for children. They experience sentimental, behavioral, and social issues. Children develop criminal tendencies. They lose interest in social activities. They suffer from phobias, like; they refuse to travel alone as well.  They can either not connect with anyone or try hard to please others. Little ones think that their parents do not desire them. They are ashamed and condemn themselves. Toddlers have a habit of drugs. They cannot sleep properly, face memory issues, and so on.

By understanding child abuse, there’s a dire need to take some practical steps to mitigate the issue, such as; The government should prohibit drugs, people should report suspected abuse anonymously,  individuals should ask teachers, counselors, and relatives for help, toddlers can learn to deal with emotions, people require to call child abuse hotlines to make sure that children are protected, abusers need treatment, parents should attend parenting classes, public awareness campaigns educate the masses about emotional abuse in children and the government should improve these campaigns.

However, understanding child emotional abuse is crucial for all. In this regard, we have suggested some practical steps that people can adopt to resolve the issue.