Did you know that your child’s feeling of your affection and comprehension has a positive impact on his mental abilities? And the weaker the relationship between you and your kid is, the more negatively he will be affected in all aspects of life. These are not mere words, but rather the result of major studies.
We often hear mothers complain about their relationship with their children and of a gap that stands in the way of strengthening this relationship. That happens due to a number of reasons, the most prominent of which include not paying enough attention to their kids and being too busy to be with them, as well as modern technology which takes over the kids’ mind and isolates them from their family. Today we share with you 10 ways to help you strengthen your relationship with your kid.
First: Tell him your feelings
Ever since his birth and even before birth, the baby can feel his mother’s affection, so you should always tell him your feelings and express your unparalleled love to him. Hug your kid and make him hug you back to make him feel safe and instill the idea that you’re always next to him, involved in everything he does.
We point here to a problem that faces many mothers; being busy with work, and leaving her kid with a nanny throughout the day. If you’re one of these mothers, we have two recommendations for you. First, don’t rush back to work, leaving your baby at a young age, try to postpone this for as long as you can and if you can’t, make up for your time away from your baby with all that you have. Second, don’t leave him with the nanny when you’re home, her job must be restricted to the time of your absence.
Second: Don’t break your promises
Make sure you don’t break any promises you make to your kid or else he’ll feel lack of trust or unsafe. Always keep your promise, if you promise your kid to take him for a picnic in the vacation, you must keep this promise and cancel any other appointments you have. At the end of the day, who is more important than your angel?
There are also verbal promises that mothers don’t consider important, while the kid waits for them eagerly, like getting a toy or having his favorite meal. All these verbal promises seem simple to you but are in fact of greater importance to your kid than you might think.
Third: Your unique relationship
Make your kid feel that there is a special relationship between the two of you, different from his relationship with the nanny, friends, or anybody else. You are his mother and the closest person to him, so you can do special things together, such as specific games he plays only with you, certain songs you both sing together, and stories that he hears only from you.
Fourth: Fear and its negative results
Of course, your kid must fear you in some situations, but make sure this fear doesn’t reach the point of hiding things. Be the closest friend to your kid and punish him only as much as his mistake deserves. Deprivation of something he likes and wants is a better method of punishment than other methods like beating or insulting, which could turn him into a kid who is afraid or who lacks self-confidence.
Fifth: A relationship of respect
If you want respect from your kid, then by a role model by respecting him. Don’t ask him not to repeat what you say when he always hears insults from you. Be his role model, and use nice and polite words with him and he’ll learn to say them himself, respect him, specifically before people; kids’ personalities start taking shape since their childhood and are affected by this behavior.
Sixth: A helping kid
A great way to create a strong bond between a kid and his mother is having the kid help his mother in various tasks. Encourage him to assist you but make sure you keep an eye on him when you ask him to do something so he doesn’t hurt himself. Make the spirit of cooperation and friendship take root between you by having him help you in the kitchen or with other tasks at home, such as making his bed, tidying up room, or any other things he can do.
Seventh: Set time limits for video games
Some mothers make the mistake of leaving their kids playing with modern video games all the time or while they’re preparing food or doing other household chores. Make sure you set certain times for these games so your kid doesn’t get used to sitting alone and spending his time in this virtual world. He must play real games and perform activities that require physical and mental effort; it’s not a bad idea to join him in these activities and games.
Eighth: Having meals
Your kid must be used to having his meals with the family, which would bridge the gap between him and the family to a large extent. Don’t prepare food separately for every member of the family, but make sure to put it on the table in the presence of everyone. This will give you the chance of engaging in some simple discussions while eating.
Ninth: Pay attention to his special occasions
Kids get very happy when they see their parents paying attention to their special occasions like their birthdays or celebrating getting good grades at school and so on. This helps in strengthening the relationship between the kid and his parents. Plan with him for these celebrations and make him invite his friends by himself.
Tenth: Ask for his opinion
Kids feel oppressed when they don’t get to choose what they want. Allow your kid to choose and ask for his opinion about things that have to do with him, such as buying clothes, toys, or even the food he prefers having at school. If your kid finds himself forced to do everything, then he’ll feel upset with you and avoid dealing with you.