044: Understanding Avoidant Tendencies In Children & How To Reduce Them

Is your child simply unmotivated? Are they lazy? Is there more to their lack of engagement? In this episode, we talk about the differences between kids who don’t do stuff simply because they don’t want to and those who would like to, but can't.    These are the kids with avoidant tendencies.   They not only avoid activities that other children would normally avoid — such as chores or homework — but also those activities that would typically be fun and enjoyable. Why is that?   At the core of avoidant tendencies is the child’s self-esteem and their sense of worth.    They have learned to hide and avoid discomfort by avoiding anything that is remotely likely to challenge their fragile self-perception. So much so that they are willing to trade fun and enjoyment in return for a sense of comfort.   Tune into this episode to find out how to tell the difference between laziness and avoidant tendency. And also, what to do to reduce them.      Need more ideas? Sign up here for the Emotionally Intelligent Parenting training.     Host: Julia Pappas, Psychologist & Parent Coach With questions and comments, please reach out on Instagram @theparentingpresence. Additional info is available at theparentingpresence.com