It is Tuesday, December 13 Lucy and then it must be lashed. Today’s traditions offer singing, candles and gingerbread, and several preschools around the country are preparing for the Lucia celebration.
The children’s parents are invited to the schools to see the Lucia train and listen to their child and his classmates sing classics such as Santa Lucia, Lusse Lelle, or Staff was a stable boy. And of course it is possible to imagine that as a child you light up the Lucia train extra much when you see your siblings and close relatives in the audience.
But what do you do as a parent if your child, ready for the Lucia train, feels shy and a little afraid of the celebration in front of an audience? Expressen has taken help of Catarina Furmarklicensed psychologist at BUP Luleå and PhD student Karolinska Institutet, to find out how to behave as a parent.
Parents feel vulnerable during the Lucia train
– If you see that the child hesitates and becomes worried, you can say “come and sit here with me for a while” or “do you want me to stand here next to you?”. Sometimes as a parent you might think about why your child doesn’t dare, and sometimes you might even feel ashamed that the child is “messing up”, says Catarina Furmark to the newspaper.
Catarina Furmark believes that many parents can feel vulnerable when many parents are gathered and have to “watch” the children. This is because many adults are afraid of losing control of the situation.
– Depending on age, the child can say or otherwise express and show that he does not want to be part of the Lucia celebration. Then it is important to be sensitive as a parent and not force the child.
This is how you strengthen the child before the Lucia train
– If, on the other hand, you discover that the child might want to, but doesn’t really dare. Then you can try to come up with a solution. Maybe it feels better if you go with a piece? If the best friend is standing next to you? Often small changes can help. And to overcome a small difficulty, or setback, and notice that “this went well after all” – that strengthens the child to dare next time.