Ten Things Children Don’t Like—and How Parents Can Make It Up to Them
As a parent, caregiver, or someone who loves children, I’ve come to realize that children may not always have the words to explain what hurts them. Sometimes they laugh, play, and smile on the outside while quietly longing for more love, attention, understanding, or reassurance on the inside.
The truth is that children are wonderfully simple. They don’t measure love by the size of our bank accounts or the number of gifts we buy. They measure love through our presence, our words, and the way we make them feel.
While writing Emakame and Ikasi’s Adventures, I found myself thinking deeply about the everyday experiences of children. Through the adventures of Emakame and Ikasi, I wanted young readers to see that friendship, honesty, courage, and kindness are not just lessons in a book—they are values that grow best when caring adults nurture them.
Here are ten things many children genuinely dislike and practical ways we can make things right.
- Being Ignored
Children love being noticed. Nothing hurts a child more than feeling invisible while adults are constantly busy with phones, work, or other responsibilities.
A child may repeatedly say, “Mummy, look!” not because what they’re showing is extraordinary, but because they simply want your attention.
How can we make it up to them?
Spend intentional time with them every day. Even fifteen minutes of uninterrupted conversation, storytelling, or play can make a child feel deeply valued.
In Emakame and Ikasi’s Adventures, the children flourish because someone listens to them, believes in them, and joins them on meaningful adventures. Every child deserves that feeling.
- Constant Shouting
Correction is necessary, but constant yelling often creates fear instead of understanding.
Children remember the tone long after they’ve forgotten the mistake.
Instead of shouting, kneel to their level, speak calmly, explain what went wrong, and guide them toward doing better next time.
Firmness and kindness can live together.
- Broken Promises
Children rarely forget promises.
If we promise a walk, a story, or time together and repeatedly fail to keep our word, trust slowly begins to disappear.
Whenever possible, keep your promises. If circumstances change, explain honestly and choose another time to fulfill your commitment.
Keeping promises teaches children that integrity matters.
- Comparing Them with Others
“Why can’t you be like your cousin?”
“Look at your friend.”
Comparisons steal confidence.
Every child has unique gifts, talents, and a pace of growth designed just for them.
Celebrate progress instead of perfection.
Emakame and Ikasi each have different personalities, yet both contribute something valuable to every adventure. That reminds us that every child has something special to offer.
- Never Being Allowed to Ask Questions
Children are naturally curious.
Sometimes their endless questions can be exhausting, but curiosity is how learning begins.
Instead of saying, “Stop asking questions,” encourage conversations.
A child whose questions are welcomed today often becomes an adult who thinks wisely tomorrow.
- Feeling Unloved
Children need more than food, clothing, and school fees.
They need hugs.
They need encouraging words.
They need smiles.
They need to hear, “I love you.”
Love should never be assumed; it should be expressed regularly.
Small acts of affection build lifelong emotional security.
- Being Treated Unfairly
Children notice fairness.
When one sibling is constantly favored or another is always blamed, resentment quietly grows.
Listen before making conclusions.
Be fair in discipline, praise, and opportunities.
Justice begins at home.
- Having No Time to Play
Play is not a waste of time.
Play is one of the ways children learn creativity, teamwork, patience, problem-solving, and confidence.
Adventure, imagination, and discovery are central themes throughout Emakame and Ikasi’s Adventures. As children journey through the story, they’re reminded that learning can be exciting and joyful.
Make room for healthy play.
- Feeling Like Their Opinions Don’t Matter
Children may be small, but their thoughts matter.
Invite them into family conversations that concern them.
Ask what they think.
Listen carefully.
You may be surprised by the wisdom they share.
When children feel heard, they learn confidence and responsibility.
- Never Hearing Encouragement
Many children hear correction every day but very little encouragement.
Notice their efforts.
Celebrate small victories.
Say things like:
“I’m proud of you.”
“You worked really hard.”
“You showed kindness today.”
Those simple words become seeds of confidence that grow for years.
A Little Extra Love Goes a Long Way
The good news is that no parent is perfect.
We all make mistakes.
The beautiful part is that children are incredibly forgiving when they experience genuine love, sincere apologies, and consistent effort to do better.
Every day offers another opportunity to strengthen the bond with our children.
One of my greatest desires in writing Emakame and Ikasi’s Adventures was to create more than just another children’s story. I wanted to create moments where parents and children could laugh together, learn together, ask questions together, and grow together.
Books have a unique way of opening conversations that ordinary daily routines sometimes miss.
If you haven’t yet added Emakame and Ikasi’s Adventures to your child’s bookshelf, this is a wonderful opportunity. Whether for bedtime reading, classroom discussions, Sunday School, family devotions, birthdays, libraries, or long trips, it’s a story that entertains while planting timeless values of friendship, honesty, courage, and kindness.
And to every parent, teacher, Sunday School leader, school, and family who has already purchased a copy—thank you. Your support means more than you know. By choosing this book, you’re investing not only in literacy but also in raising children with strong character and godly values. I truly appreciate every purchase, every recommendation, every shared post, and every encouraging message.
Together, we can place more meaningful stories into the hands and hearts of our children—one adventure at a time.
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