As a parent sometimes it can feel as though you are drifting away from your child. The older they get, the more that it might seem as though they just don’t need you as much as they did, and knowing that can drive a distance between you, even if no one really intends it to happen.
It doesn’t have to be like this. Although at some point you and your child will naturally drift apart, to stop it happening too early here are some tips to help you get closer to your child.
Snuggling
Try to spend a little extra time with your children and be close to them. Snuggling up in the evening or when there is no school is a great way to bond – it relaxes you both and keeps everyone close (in a literal sense as well as emotionally).
When you are reading a story together, or watching a film, or even in the first five minutes of them being awake, be together and enjoy the moment.
Ask Them Questions
Your child has their own ideas and feelings, and although you might think you know what they are unless you ask them to find out for sure, you’ll never really know. Asking your child about their day, what they think about certain things, and what they want to do is important. It will show your child that you acknowledge them as a person, but it will also show that you are interested in their lives, whether they are very little or an older child.
Remember, asking the questions isn’t enough; you have to listen to the answers as well. Concentrate on what the child is saying, and respond where necessary. You’ll learn a lot about them this way and be able to get closer.
Put Them In Charge
As your child is growing up they will want more and more responsibility. In order to stop them from entirely growing away from you, you’ll need to give it to them. Start small and build up so that they have confidence in their own abilities to achieve things, and you will also be sure that they will be happy and safe.
Begin with smaller chores around the house, such as asking them to make their own bed and keep their room tidy. This can then extend to other areas of the house – maybe they will be the one to empty the dishwasher or put clothes away. Show them how to shop online so they can use their own money to buy gifts for birthdays such as jewellery from Fjewellery.co.uk. This will help to equip them for later lifeand will let them know you trust them now, keeping them close.
Laugh At Their Jokes
It may seem like such a small thing that it doesn’t really matter, but listening to a child tell a joke and then laughing is something that will help them grow in confidence and keep them close to you.
It is a small thing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important too.
