What is your child hiding from you?

Did you know that toddlers can “hide” information from parents? Yes, the habit starts then and grows through being fed by parenting style, environment, peers, schooling, etc.

- Dr. Jaishri Ramakrishnan

WHAT DO CHILDREN HIDE?

Hiding starts at the toddler stage when parents toilet train the child. There may be ‘accidents’ that the toddler may try to hide. A pre primary school goer or a kinder gartener sometimes shoves the contents of his snack box out of the class room window either because he wants the pleased smile of the satisfied mother or does not want to face the mother’s disappointment or anger. In the primary school years, children are most likely to keep from parents, instances at school when they were pulled up in class for mis-behaviour or sloppy, incomplete work. Middle schoolers may hide away exam or test papers when their performance is less than satisfactory.

Adolescence brings with it unique issues. Texting from under covered sheets is a common way of “hiding” after bedtime. Teenagers who have experimented with a drink or had a first smoke are sure to hide it from parents. Curiosity drives youngsters to watch content disapproved by parents on the Internet. When adolescents go out on dates, they may not disclose the entire evening’s happenings. This holds good for parties and get to-gethers too.