Building and Maintaining Healthy Parent/Child Relationships

Quality Time for Kids and Parents
Family bonds and personal connections are extremely important. This is why you should take the time to discover how you can build and strengthen the bonds between a parent and child. Too many people believe that you are just able to establish these important links without exerting any effort, which is just not true. Building and maintaining healthy parent child relationships requires creating many bonds that are strong and enduring. To form these special relationship bonds requires patience, care and regular contributions of loving parent- child interactions. It is these interactions that work like cement to hold these parent/child bonds together.

Did you ever stop to think how little time we spend just listening and talking with our children? You are always able to see other harried parents with their own children at the park, shopping centers, and restaurants. Take a moment and observe closely.

How many of these parents have the phone to their ear while their child is trying to talk about something that is important to them? How many parents continue to read, drive, watch television, or carry on other conversations when their child is trying to talk to them? You may be one of these parents yourself.

Talk it Over; Talk it Out; Talk it Under And All About

This is why making time to really talk to children for 30 minutes a day is so important. If you want bonds of love and respect that will endure then you have to show your children that they really are special. Set aside this half hour for your child and let your child decide what they want to do with it. They may want to talk, or perhaps they want to show you how well they are learning to dance or sing. Your child may want to walk with you around the neighborhood during your ½ hour of special parent-child time. Let them take the lead, but always give them your undivided attention.

Sharing Meals at the Family Table
With everyone so rushed and hurried it seems as though family dinners and family conversation has become activities that are well on their way to extinction. However you can bring back this wonderful, sharing time. Even if you cannot arrange to share family dinners 7 days a week you can still devote one or two days a week to this very rewarding, quality time. Your kids will thank you and everyone will enjoy the bonding that will take place.

Family Game Night
Choose one night a week when everyone should be home and set aside an hour (or even 2 hours) for family games that everyone can play. It does not matter what types of games you play, and it does not even matter if you win. What does matter is that you and your children are all spending time together really enjoying each other's company.

Just Say It-"Cock a doodle Doo, I Love You, Cock a doodle Dee, Do you Love Me?"

Why are so many people afraid to say anything that may sound remotely caring? Children need to hear you say that you love them and they really need to tell you that they love you. Do not rob them of this emotional connection with their parents. If you feel self conscious about saying the words then remember the little rhyme you just read and say that instead. Kids love to be funny and act silly and the Cock a doodle doo saying may just become a special code that you and kids can use when ever you choose.

Additional Ideas You Can Use
• Share your favorite books, music or hobbies with your child.
• Create memory books and memory boxes together.
• Let your child weigh in some small decisions and really think about what they have to say. It can be something as small as the color of the socks she wants to wear. If possible let your child be the one to make some of these decisions.
• Remember that you are never too old, too tired or too busy to play, sing and dance with your children.
• Create a special time at least once a week that is quality time for you to spend with your child.
• Make sure your children know that they are your #1 priority