Habits To Nurture The Parent-Child Bond

Table of Contents

The bond between a parent and a child, like any other relationship, can be strengthened by incorporating certain simple behaviors into your daily routines.

The relationship that a child forms with his or her parent or caregiver is the most crucial. A positive parent-child interaction helps children learn about the world around them. Children look to their parents to assess whether or not they are safe, secure and loved as they grow and change. It’s also the foundation on which their future relationships will be built.

Being present with your child, spending quality time with them, and creating an environment where they feel free to explore are all ways to develop a strong parent-child relationship. There is no magic formula or surefire way to get this relationship to work, and you’ll probably face some challenges along the way.

This post may contain affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

Habits To Nurture The Parent-Child Bond 2

How to Nurture Your Parent-Child Bond

Eat Together

A large body of evidence has linked regular meals with children to greater odds of beneficial developmental outcomes such as improved health and eating habits, strong mental, emotional, and social abilities, improved behavior, and improved academic performance.

Even if you don’t have time to eat dinner together every night, try to arrange family meals as much as possible. Even if your weeknights are jam-packed with late nights at work or extracurricular activities, you may still find ways to connect, such as sharing breakfast or snacks. The goal is to make family dinners enjoyable, to talk about your day, and to maintain contact with your children.

Talk About Your Day

Bedtime, like dinnertime, is a terrific time to catch up with your kids about their day. You might ask them questions like “What was the nicest part of your day today?” or “What was the funniest thing that happened today?” to elicit detailed responses.

Then talk about your day, including what you were most proud of doing that day or any problems you may have and how you plan to fix them. You are demonstrating to your child that you appreciate them as a person and that you are close enough to confide in them by sharing something personal about yourself. You also build your bond with them and show them how important they are to you.

Get Playful

Having fun and getting playful with your kids is one of the finest ways to bond with them. Ride bikes or kick a soccer ball around outside with your friends. Or, while you’re having fun, locate a fun family board game (make it educational if you want to find something that will challenge them cognitively) and encourage them to work on wonderful social skills and good manners, such as learning how to be a gracious winner or loser.

It doesn’t matter what you’re doing as long as you’re having fun with your friends. You can do things like make fun crafts, cook beloved meals, bake cookies together, or even watch and “review” a fantastic children’s movie. Do something you enjoy and with which you can connect while you’re doing it, just as you would with a friend.

Be Respectful

Kids can be frustrating at times, and they are bound to make errors. Parents should remember, however, that treating children with respect is just as vital as disciplining them. Even if your child has done something that necessitates discipline, you can communicate with them in a calm and caring manner.

Not only has it been proven that yelling or employing corporal punishment is ineffective, but it can also affect the quality of your connection with your child.

Good manners should not be reserved for occasions outside the house. Remind your children to say “please” and “thank you,” and model this behavior yourself!

Allow Kids To Help

Children are inherently helpful, and giving them duties and responsibilities boosts their self-esteem and makes them feel valued.

Tell them how much you appreciate their assistance and how fantastic of a job they’re doing. It will not only bring you closer together, but it will also help your children grow into confident and caring individuals who enjoy assisting others.

Cuddle and Hug

Cuddling and hugging are not only a great way to connect with your child and enhance your parent-child bond, but they may also help you from becoming sick, according to studies. So show your child how much you care for her by giving her lots of hugs throughout the day, and she’ll grow up to hug you back!

Why Is A Parent Child Relationship Important

It goes without saying that being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. We go above and beyond to ensure that we raise happy and successful children, from researching various parenting styles to experimenting with various parenting tricks. But, regardless of the approach we choose, it all comes down to the type of relationship each parent has with their children at the end of the day. The better the parenting, the greater the parent-child relationship.

Children who have a positive relationship with their parents are more likely to form positive relationships with others. They can form strong relationships and friendships with their peers.
When presented with stress or a challenging scenario, they are better at controlling their emotions.

A child’s cognitive, emotional, and social growth is aided by a stable relationship with his or her parents. It also encourages children to engage in positive social actions.
Parents who are actively involved in their children’s daily lives are more likely to see their children perform well socially and intellectually. Children who have a safe and healthy relationship with their parents are more likely to learn important skills and values.

The 8 Principles of Attachment Parenting

API (Attachment Parenting International) is a global educational organization dedicated to this parenting method. Attachment parenting is defined by eight concepts, according to API. Parents have a lot of freedom in how they interpret and apply these ideas. The following are the eight principles:

Prepare for the upcoming pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Attachment parenting proponents believe it is critical to eliminate negative pregnant ideas and sensations. They claim that doing so prepares a parent for the emotionally taxing labour of parenting.
Feed with respect and affection. Breastfeeding, according to proponents, is the best way to establish a stable relationship. It also teaches babies that their parents will pay attention to their indications and meet their needs.
Respond in a sensitive manner. Attachment parenting views all emotional displays, including recurrent tantrums, as genuine attempts at communication. Rather of being chastised or rejected, those attempts should be taken seriously and understood.
Make use of a nurturing touch. Proponents of attachment parenting advocate for as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. Joint baths and “baby-wearing,” or carrying babies in a front-facing sling during the day, are two ways to do this.
Parenting at night is a good idea. Experts in attachment parenting recommend “co-sleeping” arrangements. Co-sleeping is when a baby sleeps in the same room as his or her parents so that they may feed and comfort him or her during the night. Some parents “bed-share,” or sleep in the same bed as their children. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics currently advises against use since it may raise the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Consistently provide caring care. Attachment parenting advocates for a parent’s near-constant presence in the child’s life. This includes going for walks, having a date night with your parents, and going to work. They oppose childcare for babies less than 30 months for more than 20 hours per week.
Positive discipline should be practised. Even the tiniest babies should be distracted, redirected, and guided by their parents, who should also model positive conduct. The goal of attachment parenting is to figure out what a child’s undesirable conduct is trying to say. In addition, rather than hitting or just imposing their will on children, parents are encouraged to figure out a solution with their children.
Maintain a sense of balance in your personal and family life. Parents are encouraged to form a support system, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and avoid parental burnout.

Why Is the Bond Between Mother and Child so Strong?

From the grocery store to the office, women are still seen as having a “unique link” with their children. This is exacerbated by advertising and the widespread belief that moms will take parental leave.

Is there really any reason to believe that mothers are more qualified to care for their children than males in today’s quickly changing society? Some say that a woman’s biology has a superior “maternal instinct.” Do pregnancy, hormones, or parenting experiences, on the other hand, actually strengthen a couple’s bond? Let us examine the scientific evidence.

Some researchers believe that a parent-child relationship might begin before the child is born. They suggest that “antenatal bonding,” or feeling linked to an unborn child, is a key predictor of the infant-mother relationship. However, the data tying prenatal feelings about the baby to postnatal behavior is mixed, so it’s unclear how – or even if – such feelings influence later interactions.

But, even if this is proven, another issue is that most studies in this area have been undertaken with moms. We’re starting to realize that fathers have prenatal relationships as well. As many who have adopted a kid or created a family through surrogacy arrangements know, not having any experience with pregnancy does not indicate that later relationships are jeopardized.

How Does the Bonding Between Parents and a Child Develop

One of the most enjoyable components of newborn care is bonding with your child. Begin by gently rocking or stroking your infant while cuddling him or her. If you and your spouse both hold and touch your baby on a regular basis, your baby will quickly learn to distinguish between your touches. When feeding or cuddling your infant, both of you can be “skin to skin” with him or her by holding him or her against your own skin.

Infant massage may have a positive effect on babies, especially premature babies and those with medical issues. You’ll need to massage your baby extremely gently because babies aren’t as powerful as adults. Before you try infant massage, educate yourself on suitable techniques by reading books, watching videos, and visiting websites on the subject. You can also inquire at your local hospital to see if there are any newborn massage classes available in your region.

Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding are both natural ways for parents and children to bond. Infants respond to their mothers’ smell and touch, as well as their parents’ response to their needs. Caregivers aim to take advantage of the infant’s alert phase shortly after birth in an easy birth by encouraging feeding and holding the baby. However, this isn’t always possible, and while it’s desirable, instant contact isn’t required for the child and parent to bond in the future.

Daily Connections That Help

Every day, do small things to show your child how much you care, such as writing a message and inserting it inside his lunchbox. It can make a great difference in the quality of your relationship with your child if you plan fun activities to do on weekends and give them your entire attention when they’re talking.

Show your child how much he means to you on a daily basis, and you’ll be helping to deepen the relationship between you and your child, ensuring that it is long-lasting and unbreakable.

Habits To Nurture The Parent-Child Bond 3

What You Should Do Next:

1. Register For A Must Listen To FREE 60-Minute Class:

Register for a free class called GET KIDS TO LISTEN THE RIGHT WAY; an exclusive FREE class from nationally recognized parenting coach, Amy McCready.

2. Enjoy These Gentle Parenting Podcasts

3. Dive Into These Gentle Parenting Websites

4. Enjoy These Gentle Parenting Books

5. Sign Up For A 7 Step Positive Parenting Course (If You’re Ready To Be A Positive Parent And Need Some Step By Step Help)

Enroll now in the most in-depth parenting class. After discovering these common sense, easy-to-implement, research-based tools you can learn how to:

Easily get kids to listen – the FIRST time. No yelling or reminding…not even once!
Put an end to daily power struggles. Bedtime became a breeze, and all the dawdling, chore wars, sibling rivalry, and mealtime meltdowns disappeared.
Reduce backtalk by HALF! It’s simple once you know the secrets of these two ‘buckets.’
Say goodbye to punishments that DON’T work. There’s a 5-step formula that works WAYYY better than time-outs.
Feel amazing, confident, and empowered as a parent, every day. I NEVER go to bed feeling guilty anymore! (Okay, well maybe sometimes…’ mom guilt’ is still a thing.)

Got a toddler with an attitude? You want this class. Got an actual tween or teen? Then what are you waiting for?

Sign up for the webinar right NOW and watch the BEST, most life-changing parenting video ever.

6. Read Some Of My Favorite Blog Posts From Other Gentle Parenting Professionals

“GENTLE PARENTING IS A LIFESTYLE THAT EMBRACES BOTH YOUR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR, NOT ONLY TOWARDS YOUR CHILDREN, BUT TO YOURSELF TOO“
— SARA HOCKWELL-SMITH