Parents in focus: Five keys for a healthy child's soul

Parents in focus: Five keys for a healthy child's soul

Children's mental health is closely linked to parental upbringing. According to psychologist Svenja Taubner, it is crucial that parents better understand their own emotions and those of their children in order to avoid negative effects on childhood.

Influence of upbringing on mental health

In Germany, up to 20 percent of children and young people are affected by mental disorders. These disorders are often the result of unhealthy parenting patterns that can occur in families. Svenja Taubner, director of the Institute for Psychosocial Prevention at Heidelberg University Hospital, emphasizes that parents play a central role in their children's psychological development. “Parents constantly reflect the mental state of their child,” says Taubner.

Understanding the skill of mentalizing

A key concept in Taubner's theory is “mentalizing.” This is the ability to understand and interpret the thoughts and feelings of others. This ability is important not only for supporting the child, but also for the parent's own emotional stability. Parents must be able to empathize with their child's emotions to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts, especially in stressful situations.

Dealing with negative emotions

A common mistake parents make is dealing with their children's emotions. For example, if a child is angry and the parent responds with withdrawal of love or punishment, the child learns to suppress his negative feelings. According to Taubner, this can lead to fundamental negative beliefs that manifest themselves in the form of depression in adulthood. “These negative beliefs are often internalized reflections of overwhelmed parents,” she explains.

Strategies for improving education

To promote children's mental health, Taubner recommends five important parenting skills. These include:

• Mentalisieren: Die Fähigkeit, die Gefühle und Gedanken des Kindes zu verstehen.
• Validieren: Die Gefühle des Kindes wertschätzen und ernst nehmen.
• Reparieren: Nach Konflikten aktiv zu entschuldigen und die Beziehung wiederherzustellen.
• Motivieren: Den Kindern helfen, Lösungen für ihre Probleme zu finden, anstatt Machtkämpfe zu führen.
• Grenzen setzen: Klare Grenzen kommunizieren, ohne verletzende Kritik zu üben.

These skills help create a safe and supportive environment that promotes children's emotional development.

Relevance for society

Addressing and understanding parental upbringing errors is not only important for affected families, but also has social relevance. A generation of emotionally stable, well-balanced children has the potential to contribute to a healthier society in the long term. Access to information and support for parents could help break intergenerational patterns and improve mental health outcomes in the population.

This article shows how essential it is to think about your own upbringing and how targeted strategies can benefit not only children, but also society as a whole.