Blog
Parenting TIP – Show your kids how much you love them, beyond kisses and hugs!
Parental emotional availability is the main nutrient for a child’s brain. Unfortunately, modern society is gradually depriving our children of that nutrient. Parents tend to keep their children busy rather than connecting with them. Children who are blessed enough to experience quality time and unconditional love from their parents develop stable internal happiness that will help carry them through the disappointments they experience in life. What does that kind of parenting look like?
- First, respect your child’s concerns. Don’t belittle your child by dismissing his/her worries when they are upset. Allow your child to talk without interruption and pay careful attention to the feelings behind what is being said.
- Second, stay connected even while your child tries to create distance between you. Ignoring your child or not being intentional about spending time with them doesn’t teach them anything positive about how to build a relationship. Even worse, it teaches your child that your love is conditional on him/her acting a certain way. As always, when kids are their least lovable is when they really need our love the most.
- Third, use your tongue for good. Compliment your child often, and make sure the praise is genuine. Praise effort, not results. You want your child to keep trying, practicing and improving – learning that hard work pays off.
Finally, eliminate distractions and build meaningful conversations. Cutting down on household distractions such as cell phone, tablets, radio and television, sets the stage for conversation. Build into your family schedule margins of time when you turn off technology and choose to engage those around you in conversation. Asking questions is a great way to show interest in their world.