Our children face all sorts of challenges. Challenges at school, at home, with friends and with siblings. Challenges that are self-imposed (questions about worth, and self-doubt) and challenges of just sorting out this big world.
As parents, we’re there when they take their first breath. We help them thrive and exist as an individual being. We help them take their first steps. We cheer when they are happy and we experience physical pain when they hurt.
We know our child’s personality better than anyone else in the world. We know what scares them and what makes them happy. We know their likes and dislikes. We can see when they’re getting tired or hungry. We know them better than we know ourselves.
If a child then develops a problem whether it be at home, in school or both, we want to help fix it. If the problem they’re experiencing is in math, we might try to find a tutor for them or become the tutor for them. If they’re having a problem with chronic sleepiness or behavior issues, we might take them to the doctor.
The doctor is the expert in medicine, but we are the experts on our child. We have to work with the doctor to teach them about our child in order for them to figure out what could be the problem. We might even need to go to several doctors until we find the one that can put all the pieces together.
One doctor does not know everything. We don’t want to be rude or discount what they’re saying, but if the first doctor we turn to for help can’t figure it out, or their solution just doesn’t quite fit, then we get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinion.
The point is that if a child is having troubles, it’s the parent’s job to advocate for their child. We take care of every aspect of our child’s life (housing, clothing, nutrition, education, playing). If they have a problem that they can’t solve themselves then we need to guide them. If guiding them is not enough then we need to start talking to experts.
We have to help our children. We need to be our child’s champion.
