Babies can grow fast and before you know it, you may be missing a lot. If you fail to connect more with your children while they are still very young, it might have repercussions in their later years.
Whenever possible, strengthen your relationship with them every day. Here are 10 habits that you can apply:
- Be physically in touch – One effective method is hugging. Aim for at least 12 hugs with your child, daily.
- Play with them – Make use of funny gestures that your child finds adorable or you can just join in smoothly while your child is playing.
- Interact without any distractions – As much as possible, do not be distracted by your phones and gadgets if you are interacting with your child. To command attention, you must give also attention.
- Before transitioning to a certain action, establish a connection first – This means that when a child wants to do a new activity, you need to connect with them as they transition to boost their self-esteem.
- No matter how busy you are, make time for a 1-on-1 interaction – 15 minutes is the minimum, and this does not include feeding time, potty training, or bathing.
- Allow your child to express emotions firsthand – This includes the unreasonable ones.
- Listen more and show empathy – Giving attention and respect is a win/win situation later on.
- Savor the moment – If possible, do not rush certain activities like sleeping, eating, or bathing.
- Have some time for bedtime snuggle – Try to schedule the bedtime a bit early so that you’ll have bonding time before sleeping.
- As much as possible, show up for your kid – Ensure that you are present, especially in moments when you are needed the most.
