Children need peace as much as they need to play. They need a structure they gain in everyday routine and safety in the household that is not marked by frequent and intense arguments. War as an experience disrupts the sense of peace and it is exceptionally damaging to children’s development, which is why children need to be especially protected.
Our first thought when we say “childhood” is playing. But, kids enjoy peace as much as they enjoy entertainment. They need peace in different forms in their daily lives. They are a fundamental form of routine, such as a warm evening bath or reading a picture book. Consistently providing a routine offers children a sense of stability and safety; it is a framework within which a child can relax, explore and enjoy, compared to the daily life marked by confusion and chaos. In addition to the lack of routine, children’s need for peace is disrupted by frequent and intensive arguments between the parents. They provoke feelings of restlessness, sadness and guilt in children. Whenever it’s possible, parents should remind themselves that they are role models to their children, even when they are arguing. By noticing their parents’ behavior, children learn how to act. Additionally, children don’t have the same picture of the world as their parents do and they often think they are the reason their parents are arguing. This is why one should carefully and wisely assess the inevitable situation of parental arguments.
However, among the most intense cases of disrupting children’s peace is the experience of war. The war is an especially disruptive experience for children. Not only does it endanger their physical health, but the war also leaves them with emotional scars. Children are like sponges absorbing the knowledge of the world, people, relationships and their own selves. Therefore, traumatic experiences can negatively affect children’s development and it is necessary to protect these vulnerable beings.
mag. psych. Iva Vukojević, Assistant
