Do not worry about how to strengthen the relationship between you and your children any more. The key is to really get down on the floor, put your phones aside and play with your children. Play with dolls, balls, board games or sing songs. It does not matter what you play, just enjoy each other and commit to giving your undivided attention. Let your kids see your silly side. And you and your kids can laugh together. Through this togetherness, not only will you know more about your kids, but the relationship between you and your children will become more harmonious.
When parents visit playgrounds with varied equipment with their children, parents can challenge them to try to coordinate their bodies in different ways. What’s more, the parent-child relationship can be strengthened as they play together.
Think of a child on a swing as he smiles at his mother who pushes him up and down slowly at first and then building momentum. The child laughs with glee and the mother smiles broadly knowing her child feels safe with her as her son builds his confidence on the swing. When her son says, “higher, higher” she knows he has developed the skill to pump himself up as the swing reaches into the sky. The mother-child bond is strengthened as his little body is strengthened as well.
Other activities such as sand box play build fine motor coordination as parent and child create stories together as they build castles and other architectural feats as they tell yarns about what is going on. Father and son laugh together as they toss the sand back and forth in gentle play and then build a mountain reaching upwards. This togetherness is a way to firm up their relationship.
Then there is the climbing equipment such as the rock climbing wall that challenges the child to pull himself upwards coordinating hands and feet with his body strength. Parents usually “ooh” and “ahh” as the child climbs the difficult pathways that the parent encourages the child to explore.
In conclusion, strengthening the parent-child relationship requires work and effort. Parenting is a tough job, but by maintaining a close relationship and open communication with your children, parents can stay connected to them during all stages of life. Further, a strong parent-child connection actually makes parenting easier since children who feel more connected to their parents are more inclined to want to listen, help and follow directions. Children who feel connected also are more willing to talk to their parents about problems with friends or in school.
