UAE psychologist reveals what uncertainty is doing to children at home
Dr Rita Figueiredo recommends keeping communication simple, honest, and age-appropriate, while avoiding overwhelming detail or unrealistic guarantees
06 April, 2026
TT
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Across the UAE, families are navigating a prolonged period of uncertainty shaped by geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, and rapid change. While much of this instability exists outside the home, its psychological impact is increasingly being felt inside it, particularly in the relationship between parents and children.
According to Dr Rita Figueiredo, clinical psychologist and managing director at Peninsula Psychology, uncertainty disrupts one of the most fundamental human needs: a sense of control. When that stability is shaken, stress and anxiety begin to influence how parents show up emotionally.
“When everything feels unclear and unpredictable, our sense of control is disrupted, which naturally generates stress and anxiety,” she explains. “These tend to show up in two main ways: some parents become more rigid and hypervigilant… others begin to disconnect, appearing physically present but emotionally unavailable.”
For children, these shifts rarely go unnoticed. Even without fully understanding the external triggers, they are highly sensitive to changes in parental behaviour and emotional tone. “Children, regardless of age, pick up on these shifts… They tend to interpret them as a signal that something is not right,” she says.
Stress that speaks without words
One of the key challenges for families is that children do not always express anxiety directly. Instead, it often appears through behavioural changes—many of which can be subtle or easily overlooked.
Dr Figueiredo notes that signs can include regression in sleep patterns, increased dependency, irritability, or physical complaints such as headaches or stomach aches. In many cases, these behaviours are misunderstood.
“These behaviours are meaningful forms of communication,” she says. “It is important to remember that children are not trying to give parents a hard time, they are having a hard time.”
However, parents themselves are often under significant pressure—balancing work, financial concerns, and caregiving responsibilities—which can make it harder to identify these signals early.
A common expectation placed on parents is the need to remain calm and composed, even during periods of heightened stress. While well-intentioned, this pressure can have unintended consequences.
“Attempting to regulate oneself while also maintaining the emotional capacity to co-regulate others is demanding and often exhausting,” Dr Figueiredo says.
Suppressing emotions entirely, she explains, can increase internal strain and reduce a parent’s ability to support their child effectively. Instead, emotional honesty—expressed in a contained and manageable way—can be more beneficial.
“Children do not need perfect parents; they need parents who are predictable and emotionally honest,” she adds. Sharing feelings of worry while demonstrating the ability to manage them can help children develop their own emotional regulation skills.
How stress travels within the household
Parental stress does not need to be explicitly communicated to affect children. It is often transmitted through tone, behaviour, and consistency.
“It can be heard in a sharper tone of voice, seen in reduced patience, or felt in inconsistency around rules,” Dr Figueiredo explains. “Children are highly attuned to these signals… Their nervous system mirrors what is happening around them.”
This creates a feedback loop where anxiety within the household can escalate, leading to increased conflict or a stronger need for reassurance from children.
“In an unpredictable world, the family can become either a stabilising space or another source of uncertainty,” she says. “The difference lies in the consistency and emotional availability within the relationship.”
The rise of hybrid learning and homeschooling has added another layer of complexity, blurring the boundaries between roles within the household.
“Parents are simultaneously expected to function as professionals, educators, caregivers, and emotional regulators,” Dr Figueiredo notes. “This level of role overlap creates significant pressure and increases the likelihood of conflict.”
As a result, relationships can become overly task-focused, centred on performance and responsibilities rather than connection. To counter this, she emphasises the importance of intentionally creating non-task-oriented time.
“Time for play, conversation, or simply being together helps maintain the relational bond,” she says, adding that maintaining familiar routines can also provide a sense of stability.
Communicating uncertainty without fear
When children sense uncertainty but lack full understanding, communication becomes critical. The way parents explain situations can either reinforce anxiety or provide reassurance.
Dr Figueiredo recommends keeping communication simple, honest, and age-appropriate, while avoiding overwhelming detail or unrealistic guarantees.
“More important than the information itself is the emotional experience that accompanies it,” she says. “Children need to feel that they are safe and that they are not facing uncertainty alone.”
Alignment between caregivers is also essential. A shared narrative helps create consistency, while visible conflict can undermine a child’s sense of security. Rather than attempting to eliminate stress entirely, the focus for families should be on managing it through structure and connection. Research-backed strategies include maintaining routines, naming emotions, offering children small choices to build a sense of control, and limiting exposure to distressing news.
“Resilience is not about avoiding stress, but about maintaining connection, regulating emotions, and continuing to function as a family,” Dr Figueiredo explains.
Even small daily interactions—playing a game, having a conversation, or sharing a routine—can reinforce emotional stability.
When tension or disconnection begins to emerge, early intervention is key. Small gestures of repair can prevent issues from escalating.
“Acknowledging when something did not go well, offering an apology, or initiating physical closeness… can help restore connection,” Dr Figueiredo says. Regular check-ins and moments of genuine presence can shift the emotional tone within the household, reinforcing trust and communication.
“The goal is not to win an argument, but to reduce emotional intensity within the family,” she adds.
The defining factor
As uncertainty continues to shape daily life, one insight stands out: the most protective factor for children is not the absence of stress, but the quality of their relationship with their parents.
In an environment where external conditions remain unpredictable, emotional consistency, openness, and connection within the family become the foundation for resilience.
For parents, that may mean letting go of the pressure to be perfect, and focusing instead on being present, predictable, and emotionally available.
