Being warm, caring and affectionate with your child helps to build strong family relationships.
Positive attention is also important for building strong relationships in your family. This is the way you show interest and delight in your child and what they’re doing. Positive attention builds connection and shows your child that you’re available when they need you.
Here are suggestions for creating warmth, care and positive attention in your family:
Tell your child how much you love them, and look for opportunities to tell them you’re proud of them.
Smile and look into your child’s eyes when you talk to them.
Show physical affection when you can.
Praise and encourage the people in your family when they do something well. For example, ‘Ben, you worked hard on that science homework – well done’.
Show gratitude when the people in your family do kind things for others. For example, ‘Yanee, thanks for helping to unpack the dishwasher this morning’.
Create opportunities for special one-on-one time, doing things you all enjoy. Why not make this special time part of your family routine?
Children from warm, caring and affectionate families get along better with other children and teachers, and they’re less likely to have conflict with others. Also, plenty of attention and affection makes children feel secure and cared for, which can help them deal with life’s ups and downs.
Strong families communicate well about both good and bad things. They celebrate together when times are good and talk about problems when times are tough. This creates a safe place for children to share difficult feelings like embarrassment, confusion or shame. And it strengthens family members’ relationships with each other.
Here are tips to encourage good communication in your family:
Encourage family members to talk to each other – and listen so everyone gets a chance to express their thoughts and feelings.
Help your child learn words to express their thoughts and feelings, so they know how to ask for what they need or want.
Listen and respond in a sensitive way to all kinds of things – not just nice things or good news, but also feelings like anger, embarrassment, sadness or fear. You don’t always have to solve problems or give advice.
Learn how to negotiate and compromise when there’s a problem, so that you can find a solution that everyone accepts.
Use nonverbal communication like smiles, eye contact and physical affection to strengthen your relationships.
Have family meals together as often as possible, at the table with the TV and phones switched off. This is a time when you can share what’s happening in your lives.
2. Children learn about good communication from the way you talk to them and others. This includes watching how you manage conflict or solve problems with others. When your child sees you sorting out problems calmly and respectfully, you help them develop important skills for life.