The sports holiday week is often characterized by travel and skiing. But expectations can be difficult to reach for families with financial difficulties. More than every third parent in families with lower income states that they cannot afford clothes that suit the season.
Jennifer Pettersson, curator at Bris, thinks it can be a difficult week for the children who are alone at home.
– Generally when children hear from us, it is a lot of expectations of the promise, she says.
The latest figure from the Public Health Authority shows that 17.5 percent of all children in Sweden live in a low -financial standard household, which corresponds to around 430,000 children. At the same time, a sports holiday week in the mountains for a family with two children can cost almost SEK 47,000 – an increase of SEK 5,000 since last year.
Many children feel pressure
According to Jennifer Petterson, many children experience a strong pressure when expectations become high – a feeling that usually returns every law, especially during the sports holiday.
– It’s easy to end up in comparison with peers, she says.
She describes that the children may feel lonely or overridden if the custodians cannot be at home and that older children can often manage themselves. The ability to keep up with classmates is even less for those whose families are already struggling with the economy.
– The children are extra affected when they see what friends do on social media. It can also be difficult to find things if the friends are rested.
Tips for parents and relatives
Jennifer Pettersson encourages adults in the child’s vicinity to be responsive and take the initiative when you notice that someone is feeling alone.
– Other relatives may try to invite the child who is lonely. But the most important thing is to talk to the child. All children do not think it is difficult, it can be quite nice to just be home too, she says.
The Mayflower, who works for a childhood free from poverty, receives an extra number of applications and financial assistance before the law, according to Secretary -General Åse Henell.
– We see that the children with limited resources do not take part in society on the same terms, and it is the same every holiday. Unfortunately, we cannot support a ski trip, but you can apply to go to the cinema or some other fun on the sports holiday, she says.