10 Routines To Follow If You Want A Stronger Bond With Your Child

Nov 14, 2018 by apost team

Every parent wants to have a close relationship with their child. Forming a connection with your children is just as important to us as it is to them. When a strong bond is formed between parent and child, it makes it worth all the sacrifices. This connection also makes it easier for your children to respect you and follow your rules.

While they'll still act like kids, you'll notice their more likely to cooperate during trying times. For every negative interaction, your child needs five positive interactions to keep your relationship healthy. Spending too much time reminding, nagging, scolding, and correcting will lower their self-confidence and potentially impact your relationship negatively.

Parenting is a tough job as it is, and the only way to maintain a tight bond is to incorporate habits of connection daily. Here are ten that will change your life and create a positive relationship with your children.

1. The Power Of Physical Touch

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The more hugs and kisses you give throughout the day the better for growth. Starting your morning with snuggling your child for a few minutes and before bedtime will make a big difference. Give hugs when you say goodbye and again when you're reunited. Anytime in between pat their backs, brush aside their hair, make eye contact, and smile.

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2. Play With Your Child

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Laughing and light rough-housing releases oxytocin and stimulates endorphins in the both of you. When you make silliness a daily habit, it will prevent your child from feeling disconnected and act out. It will also help them forget about any anxieties they might feel. Playing is crucial to development as it contributes to the social, physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being of children. It gives parents an opportunity to engage with their child fully.

3. Turn Off Technology When Interacting

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Children today are growing up in a digital world, and it's essential to guide them through healthy concepts of digital use. Face-to-face communication is precious, and toddlers learn best through two-way communication. Talking to each other as much as possible is critical for language development. These conversations can be either video chatting when traveling or face-to-face - or even going old school and teaching your child to make their own telephone!

4. Connect Before Transitions

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Kids have a difficult time with transitions. Parents juggle many daily tasks and often have to end playing with their child abruptly or move them to a new activity before they're ready. Some children might protest every change directed by you.

When you need to change an activity, have a conversation with your child first to let them know what to expect next. Using your words and giving them information helps your children feel respected and prevents the power struggles that come with transitions. Having a tone of optimism regularly can motivate your child to want to cooperate.

5. Make One-On-One Time A Priority

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It's important to schedule at least 20 minutes of one-on-one time with your child every day. When you spend quality time with your child, they receive several benefits. They will feel loved, valued, and build their self-worth and self-esteem. Children generally mirror our behavior, so it's important to be a good role model. They rely on their parents to learn good habits, morals, and behavior.

Spending time with your child will help you identify the strengths and any areas that need improvement. Gaining this knowledge will allow you to help them grow as a confident person.

6. Welcome Emotion

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Welcoming emotion is an opportunity for your child to heal their upsets and it will bring you closer. Breathe your way through the tantrums and remember you are the one they trust. Always offer your understanding of their pain and acknowledge their feelings. Afterward, it's highly likely your child will feel closer to you.

7. Listen And Empathize

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A strong connection with your children begins with listening. Empathy is about understanding what your child is going through and is a powerful way to connect. Showing compassion will help your child become more open to working on their challenges.

Put aside your own reactions and feelings and look at the problem through your child's eyes. You must also let these experienced be your children's and not own. Allow them to express themselves without you trying to fix it.

8. Savor The Moment

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Don't rush through life with your child and be sure to spend a few moments with them before bedtime. Each interaction throughout the day is an opportunity to connect. Savor the small moments and smell their hair, wash your hands together, listen to their laughter, and look into their eyes.

9. Bedtime Chat About The Day

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Spend 30 minutes before bedtime to visit with them and read a book. These are cherished moments of connection where you can discuss what happened at school, what they learned, or if there are any worries they might have. This is the time to listen and acknowledge their feelings. Late at night before bedtime is usually the only time a child will indeed open up.

10. Show up

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Your children will be out of the house and off to college before you know it. Most of us go through life half-present. Whenever you're interacting with your kids, show up for them 100 percent and forget about everything else. If you do this multiple times a day, it will be easier to pull this off every time. Doing this will make those tender moments with your child positive memories to last a lifetime.

Do you follow some of these routines already? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and show this article to other parents you know!