I recently had a parent present me with the following scenario and ask my input. Their child is getting good grades, has friends, spends a lot of alone time, and there are no complaints from school. They asked if there are any areas of concern based on that information. Well, it is quite difficult to elaborate or make suggestions based on minimal information. I really need to develop a level of rapport with my clients before assessment. However, the area of immediate concern is when there is a lot of alone time.
Most parents would look at all the positives and not be able to see the negative of being alone. As previously stated, I would have to get to know the child first, but based on past history of children that I coach, there tends to be internal issues with those who spend much of their time alone.
I encourage parents to observe behavioral patterns in their children so they become aware of issues. Some children who spend much of their time alone tend to internalize their emotions and it can lead to depression or cutting. In today’s society communication is a definite problem. Technology limits our ability to verbally communicate. Therefore, I encourage parents to interact with their children as much as possible.