Tips To Enhance Parents and Children Relationship

Children need loving parents to survive and thrive. Just like with any relationship, building a positive relationship between parent and child is one that requires work and effort to make it strong and successful. Parenting is a tough job, and maintaining close relationships as well as open communications helps to ensure parents and their children stay connected through all ages of their upbringing.

Most importantly, tell your child you love him/her every day no matter his age. Even on trying days or after a parent-child disagreement, when you don't exactly "like your child" at that moment, it is more important than ever to express your love. A simple "I love you" goes a long way toward developing and then strengthening a relationship.

Teach your child your faith and beliefs, morals and values. Tell him what you believe and why. Allow time for your child to ask questions and answer them honestly. Reinforce those teachings often. Use pet names for your children, to make them feel special. Use the name as a simple reinforcement of your love.

It is good to develop and maintain a special bedtime ritual. For younger children, reading a favorite bedtime book or telling stories is a ritual that will be remembered most likely throughout their life. Older children should not be neglected either. Even most teenagers still enjoy the ritual of being told goodnight in a special way by a parent, even if they don't act like it.

Parents sometimes inadvertently miss out on opportunities to forge closer relationships by not allowing their child to help them with various tasks and chores. Unloading groceries after going to the store is a good example of something that children of most ages can and should assist with. Choosing which shoes look better with your dress lets a child know how you value her opinion. Of course, if you ask, be prepared to accept and live with the choice made.

Playing with your children will always enhance the relationship. Play with dolls, ball, make believe, checkers, sing songs, or whatever is fun and interesting. Older kids enjoy cards, chess, computer games, while younger ones will have fun playing about anything. Eat meals together to know the warmth of love. Eating as a family is important. Eating together sets the stage for conversation and sharing. Don't rush through the meal. When schedules permit, really talk and enjoy one another. It can become a quality time most remembered by young and old alike.

Some parents choose special nights or 'standing dates' with their children to create that one-on-one opportunity. Whether it is a walk around the neighborhood, a special trip to a playground, or just a movie night with just the two of you, it is important to celebrate each child individually.

You need to respect the choices of your child. You don't have to like their mismatched shirt and shorts or love how a child has placed pictures in his room. However, it is important to respect those choices. Children reach out for independence at a young age, and parents can help to foster those decision-making skills by being supportive and even looking the other way on occasion. Always make your children the first priority of your life. Your children need to know that you believe they are a priority in your life.