Keep Your Kids Feeling Loved With These Tips
Children are susceptible to feeling a wide-array of emotions, some great and others painful. They have not fully developed their self-esteem, persona, and social skills. It is vital to them that the adults in their lives provide the guidance to increase their confidence.
“Our goal is to convey unconditional love through focused attention with clear limits and boundaries that will allow them to tolerate the inevitable breaks in our attention,” Dr. Laura Kauffman, Ph.D., a licensed child psychologist points out. It might sound difficult but there are ways to make it easier.
Sustain eye contact
You may feel that dividing your attention between your child and some work doesn’t affect your listening but in actuality, it can make your child believe he comes second. Whenever your child wants to share something with you, put down what you are working on and pay him your full attention. If you can’t put a pause on what you are doing, say so. Tell your child you’ll have to conclude your task before giving him your full attention.
Make a point of asking caring questions
Move beyond cliché questions like “how were classes” and go for the real deal with pointed questions that prove that you invested in the going ons of your kid’s life. Ask them about a character in their favorite TV show or ask him about a hobby he just picked up. This allows you to gain insight into your kid’s growing personality and creates a bond between you both.
Show affection
Many parents don’t realize how important it is to be affectionate physically. Research by Kathleen M. Krol and Tobias Grossmann show that breastfeeding promotes bonding between mother and child. This occurs because of the contact between both of them, proving the necessity for physical contact in building attachment. Healthy attachment allows the child to develop a properly functioning sense of self. Child trends, a non-profit research organization correlates warmth and affection between a parent and a child with fewer psychological and behavioural problems.
Enjoy family meals
Studies point at the benefits of having family meals regularly. Sharing dinner together is a wonderful opportunity to spend uninterrupted time together. Everyone has got to eat in the day, so this is an activity you can train yourself and your children to see as being for enjoying each other’s company. Make sure mealtimes are device-free to maximize the interaction
Treat them with respect
It is so easy to ignore the fact that though they’re still growing, children are people, too. According to Tamara Hill, MS, a therapist specializing in child and adolescent behavioural and mood disorders: Showing them respect doesn’t only mean refraining from swearing at them or being rude. Though both are necessary to a healthy relationship, respect goes beyond that. It includes listening to them and appreciating their inputs so they can feel that they “make sense”. This allows them to learn reasoning and decision making.
Article by Vital Guidance
