Your child has a special place in your heart. You see a lot of yourself in them but they are also completely their own person and you are still wondering how that could happen. Your little kiddo has a wild spirit and a curious mind, and you can’t wait to see what amazing things they do in their lives.
With you at work on a regular basis and your kiddos at daycare of school, it can be hard to find time to hang out with them and build a stronger bond. The bond you have with your child is important to both you and your kiddo, and making sure you work on this bond whenever possible can help you and your child connect better as they grow up.
At Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center, our students are provided with an encouraging and supportive environment. We also believe that family is important and the parent and child relationship is one of the most important that a child can help. Bonding with your child should be easy, but in case you are struggling getting your child to open up to you or spend time with you, we will give you some tips to building a stronger bond with your kiddo.
Play With Them
Kids love to play, whether it is playing with toys, playing on the swingset, or playing pretend. And when you get involved in that play, you will start to form a special bond. They will realize that you are taking time out of your day to play their silly games with them. Sitting on the floor and playing with their action figures or dolls is huge, especially for them. You will learn how they think, how they play, what makes them laugh, what makes them angry, and so many other things. This will help you understand your child better and be better at communicating with them.
Make Things With Them
This could be anything from crafts to cookies or even having them help you with dinner. Making something together is a great bonding activity. Crafts allow your kiddos to be creative and work on their artistic skills, plus they can watch you and learn a thing or two about arts and crafts. Baking with your children is also a great activity. You can teach them while sharing special moments. They will love baking cookies with you and the fact that you help them measure. Allowing your child to help them make dinner will give them a sense of pride. They will feel special that you are allowing them to assist with such an important task.
But really, it does not matter what you are making, what matters is the time spent together while you are making these things and the memories you make. Allowing your child to help bake cookies for the party or dinner, even though it will take extra time, will help to strengthen your bond. These are the little things that will help.
Give Them Nicknames
While you may be wondering how this could help with the bond between your child and you, it really does. Think about when you were a kid, did you parents have a special nickname for you? If so, did hearing that nickname make you feel special? Most likely, your answer is yes. Nicknames can help to single one child out and make them feel special. If you have several children, you have probably mistakenly called each of them by the wrong name. But when you use their special nickname, they know that you actually know who you are talking to. Nicknames usually are developed overtime, based on the way your child acts, something the like, or something about their looks. Don’t force a nickname, but start thinking creatively. If something sticks let it stick, it will be more special if their nickname is something that has meaning behind it.
Talk to Them
Obviously talking is a great way to bond. But many parents don’t have real conversations with their children. Real doesn’t mean talking about the weather or sports. It means talking about what they did that day, their favorite thing to do at daycare, or who their friends are. Ask about their toys, what kind of crafts they like best, and who their favorite character is from the show they always watch. Let them talk to you about whatever they want. Even just listening to whatever they have to say and asking them more questions can improve your bond. When adults take the time to listen to kids, the kids will notice and know who to talk to from that point on. Take the time to listen to them and actually listen to them, it will help you know more about your child.
Be Goofy
Many kids see mom and dad as strict people who make the rules and ensure the kids follow them. While it is important to make sure you children follow the rules and do as they are told, it is okay to have fun with them from time to time. Be goofy and have some fun with them. Build a fort in the living room and watch movies all Sunday long. Start a snowball fight with them. Even pulling harmless and simple pranks on them or the other parent could get them giggling nonstop. Acting goofy is a great way to have fun with your kids and allow them to see a different side of their parents. We aren’t trying to tell you how to raise your children, but always being the strict parent may make building a bond more difficult. It is okay to be their friend from time to time, just be sure you have them help you clean up the pillow fort!
Do Things Together
Throughout your week try to do a little bit of everything together. What we mean by that is you can read, go on walks, take naps, or sit at the table while they color or do homework. While it is easy to let them work on reading by themselves, sitting down with them and telling them to read to you can truly strengthen your bond. It is as simple as spending more time with them. Sitting with them during lunch, watching their shows with them before putting them to bed, or simply stopping what you are doing to finish a game with them is all it takes to become closer with your child. Just give them some time throughout the day, it truly is as simple as that.
Building a bond with your child doesn’t have to be hard, you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort to spend a few hours with your child and show an interest in them. They will know know when you are actually interested and just pretending to be, so be invested in what your child like and has to say, it could help your relationship now and in the future.
At Yellow Brick Road, we can help you children learn and develop, feeding their curiosities and allowing them to explore their interests. We encourage our students to work alone and with other students, building bonds that will develop into friendships. We also encourage the parents of our students to spend quality time with their children, building and strengthening bonds that will last a lifetime. Learn more about our school today and schedule a tour! Contact us with any questions you may have.
