Making and maintaining healthy relationships with our children is not always easy. We want to be in their lives and make an impact, but sometimes they seem like a mystery. What’s the best way to get to know your child? What can you do to connect even when life gets busy? How can you show them that you care? Here are five tips for connecting with your child today.
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Parental attachment
What is attachment parenting? It’s a term used by some experts who believe that it is important to parent in such a way as to help children build strong emotional bonds with parents. To develop this bond – or parental attachment – it’s suggested that mothers spend more time with babies than fathers. Babies should also be held at least every 2 hours during the first year of their lives. During the second year, it’s recommended that both mother and father hold the baby about 8-12 times per day and continue to have close contact after the baby reaches one-year-old. This helps to create secure attachments with parents, leading to greater social skills in childhood. There’s lots of information out there on the benefits of having early and strong bonds with parents.
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Share secrets and life lessons
Our kids are living through a very different world from us. They don’t understand much of what we deal with daily, so sharing our stories with them makes sense. As adults, many people say that we feel things too deeply, which could mean crying over minor issues. Our children might relate more easily if we share things about ourselves, like how difficult something was for us growing up. Sharing secrets allows our children to see that we’re human and that life isn’t always perfect. It also allows them to learn that we’ve been where they are now and will empathize with them.
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Play games together
Doing activities together is another great way to enjoy quality family time. Games are a fun way to keep families connected despite being spread apart. Playing board games (especially those that encourage creativity) is a fantastic way to bring families closer together and boost communication. Family members can talk about their opinions while playing, allowing everyone to express themselves and experience new things. Having fun and laughter together creates deeper memories and promotes stronger links between family members.
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Do household tasks together
It’s not just about doing household chores! When families work together to clean their house, cook meals, iron clothes, and mow lawns, they do more than simply clean bathrooms and change sheets. The positive effect it has on the relationship between the whole family will stay long after all the laundry and vacuuming is done. Even though it may take longer, families need to remember that it’s worth sitting down for dinner together once in a while and enjoying each other’s company.
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Talk to them about their feelings
Sometimes talking to our children can be hard, especially teenagers. Sometimes they don’t appreciate hearing words of advice, and it takes a lot to change their minds. Talking to your children doesn’t mean telling them everything you think or feel; it means listening to them and understanding them. Talking about what worries them is an excellent way to let go of stress and find ways of dealing with difficulties. And if they complain, it might mean that they aren’t ready to hear solutions yet. But trying to talk with them about these concerns is worthwhile because it allows you and your child to start building good relationships.
