Loneliness in children

"Are you not planning another child?" Irene queried. "He will be very lonely being all alone."

I can remember periods of extreme loneliness which I suffered as a child.

Children are at the mercy of adults. Children are not creatures who do not worry or wonder. They are concerned about life, about their family and particularly about themselves.

Loneliness in children is often caused by a lack of understanding of adult motivation and plans. For me, it was caused by the asthma I suffered which kept me away from normal childhood activities.

I try to treat my son as an individual. I listen to him when he talks to me. I listen carefully to his fantasy tales. I make him feel wanted. I am not afraid to discuss common household problems in his presence. Often he surprises me by his quick grasp of the situation.