Wondering How You Can Strengthen Your Emotional Connection With Your Child? Here’s What To Do, According To … [+]
Having a loving and healthy relationship with your child is one of life’s greatest joys. Not only does it make you feel good about yourself as a parent, it also instills a sense of security in your child that benefits them for a lifetime.
The emotional connection between you and your child makes them feel safe, supported and understood.
If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your emotional bond with your child, here are three research-backed methods.
#1.play with your child
One of the best ways to bond with your child is to have fun together. Children learn important life skills through play. Encourage them to work on good social skills and manners, such as learning how to accept defeat gracefully while you have fun.
Research shows that children develop attention, social skills, creativity, ability to process emotions and intellectual abilities through play. Play is often a faster way to learn than it is for children to acquire esoteric cognitive skills that may be developmentally useless.
Plus, playing with your kids gives them the opportunity to see you as an ally rather than someone constantly barking orders.
But before you commit to play, make sure your child is genuinely interested. Involving children in extracurricular activities against their will can create tensions and power struggles within the family unit.
Also, choose the right time and place to introduce your child to new activities. In many cases, the association with the activity that the child does on the first attempt leads to liking or withdrawal from the activity. For example, if you want your child to ski for the first time, choose a sunny, calm day rather than a cold, snowy day.
#2.show interest in their day
It’s important to schedule an event where the family gets together and talks about how the day went. Having regular family meals is one such method.
Studies show that children who eat regularly with their parents and family have better health and eating habits, stronger mental, emotional and social performance, improved behavior and better academic performance. I know it will improve.
For example, one study adolescent health journal They found that the frequency of family meals was associated with positive adolescent moods and more positive outlooks on the future.
Another way to approach this is to make room for such conversations at bedtime. You can ask detailed questions such as:
- “What did you enjoy most about your day today?”
- “What is the funniest thing that happened today?”
#3.have high but realistic expectations
Research shows that high academic expectations in children improve their performance in school and help children persevere through difficult tasks longer. High expectations also lead to social resilience.
However, it is important to distinguish between high standards and perfection. Setting goals too high can backfire as kids are more likely to give up on their goals when they feel overwhelmed. So challenge your child to do well. But don’t go over your limit.
In this regard, psychologists Martin Smith and Simon Shelley recommend the following to improve parenting styles:
- Tell your child that you value them based on who they are, not just what they do.
- Do not control, criticize, or overprotect your child. Teach me to forgive my mistakes and learn from them. We value hard work and discipline over the pursuit of perfection.
- Resist the urge to compare your child to other children. Make sure they know you’re just pushing them to be the best versions of themselves.
