{"id":1500,"date":"2023-12-09T19:42:11","date_gmt":"2023-12-09T19:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penguincrossingacademy.com\/?p=1500"},"modified":"2024-01-04T16:48:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T16:48:18","slug":"what-is-the-hardest-year-to-take-care-of-a-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penguincrossingacademy.com\/what-is-the-hardest-year-to-take-care-of-a-child\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Hardest Year to Take Care of a Child?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are the parent of a newborn, you may think that the newborn stage is the hardest you\u2019ll experience. There\u2019s so little sleep, so many needs to be met, and the laundry pile only seems to grow. It can be a hard adjustment to figure out how this new precious bundle fits into your family life and routine.<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you have older children, you know the saying \u201cbigger children, bigger problems\u201d is shockingly accurate. True, your children are more independent and you have time to do other things, but this blessing can actually be a challenge as you are less and less in control of your child\u2019s decisions and behavior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This begs the question: what is the hardest year to take care of a child?<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a survey<\/span><\/a> conducted by OnePoll and sponsored by Mixbook, the majority of parents agree that age eight is the hardest year to parent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Is Age Eight the Hardest Year to Parent?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Eight may seem like an odd year to find challenging, but many childhood developments happen during the eighth year.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, eight-year-olds consider themselves to be \u201cbig kids.\u201d They\u2019ve been in school for a few years, can handle their homework load independently because of their reading skills, and generally have a strong friend group and established interests.<\/span><\/p>\n

At eight, children\u2019s personalities are exploding. They begin to feel autonomous but still want your physical affection. Their attitudes are beginning to be influenced by their peers\u2013for better or worse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not to mention, children are getting phones and social media accounts at younger and younger ages. These days, it\u2019s not uncommon for eight-year-olds to have social media accounts or messaging apps. Unfortunately, phones and social media can <\/span>drastically alter a child\u2019s brain<\/span><\/a> and can lead to premature anxiety and depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, children\u2019s bodies begin to <\/span>prep the hormones needed for puberty<\/span><\/a> beginning at eight years old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Parent a Challenging Age<\/span><\/h3>\n

Parenting struggles happen at every age. Just when your child has outgrown one thing, a new one pops up. This is just the nature of parenting! Here are a few tips to help you gain perspective during a parenting difficulty:<\/span><\/p>\n

Listen Much, Talk Less<\/span><\/h4>\n

Above all else, you want to keep communication open with your child. This starts at a young age by lending a listening ear as much as possible. Oftentimes, children don\u2019t want your advice, they just want someone to listen to them. So turn off the tech, make eye contact, and engage them in conversation!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stay Calm and Compassionate<\/span><\/h4>\n

Your child will make plenty of mistakes in life\u2013just as we all have. Learn to have a poker face when it comes to hearing about your child\u2019s mishaps and social faux pas. Responding in a harsh, condescending, critical, or incredulous way is not only damaging to your relationship but also to your child\u2019s personhood and self-esteem. Instead, a minimal response (emphasizing your listening) will help your child feel secure in sharing their mistakes and embarrassing moments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember How it Feels to Be Their Age<\/span><\/h4>\n

Adults generally have a better perspective on life and what\u2019s important than children do. But\u2013remember how it feels to be their age! Take some time to reflect on your interests, fears, and joys at your child\u2019s present age. For instance, losing a toy may seem trivial to an adult, but remembering how it felt to lose your toy can give you compassion for your child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stick With a Structure<\/span><\/h4>\n

Children feel secure with a structure. While most older children are in a school with an established routine, you can continue this security by enrolling your child in after-school care at DAYCARE instead of having a child stay at home by themselves or with a babysitter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you are the parent of a newborn, you may think that the newborn stage is the hardest you\u2019ll experience. There\u2019s so little sleep, so many needs to be met, and the laundry pile only seems to grow. It can be a hard adjustment to figure out how this new precious bundle fits into your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[184,166,177,167],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is the Hardest Year to Take Care of a Child? - Penguin Crossing Academy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/penguincrossingacademy.com\/what-is-the-hardest-year-to-take-care-of-a-child\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is the Hardest Year to Take Care of a Child? - Penguin Crossing Academy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you are the parent of a newborn, you may think that the newborn stage is the hardest you\u2019ll experience. 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