Between your schedule and your child’s schedule, the ability to grow close can be a challenge. As your child grows, it is common to feel like you are growing apart from your kids. In order to bond with your child, try using these four ideas to make memories as they age.
Go on Dates
Just as dating is vital between you and your partner, it is vital between you and your child. Your date should be between you and one of your children each time. This does not mean you have to go out to a fine dining establishment and a movie afterwards. Taking them out for ice cream in the evening, or going for a walk together will let them know that you want to know about what is going on. Let the child pick the date and start the conversation. Let them lead the direction of the conversation and you will learn what is truly bothering them, or what they are excited about.
Have a Craft Day
Getting messy is something your children will love to do. Pull out the markers, crayons, glue, tape, and anything else you can think of to create masterpieces with your child. Create something by yourself or work as a unit to create something together. When you bring arts and crafts into a tense situation, you will help your child lower his or her defenses and talk to you. This can also be an activity to do with everyone in your family, and make sure you display your artwork later.
Learn Together
Always attempt to be learning something together. When there are tasks that need to be done, involve your children. If an oil change needs to be done, explain the actions to your children while you are doing them. Let them participate in the task as much as possible. If you have technicians in your house, such as Edmonton furnace repair technicians from Comfortable Home Systems, encourage them to ask questions. Afterwards, discuss with them the things that you have learned together.
Family Game Night
Set aside a night (or a day) to play games with your child. It does not have to be board games, it can also be Twister, Hullabaloo, the Wii (or other gaming systems), or even an outdoor game of catch. Your child will remember the memories made when you took time out of your schedule and played things they loved. When you make a day of it, look at biking to the park and throwing a picnic into the schedule.
Reading Time
An activity that is quickly forgotten as a child grows is evening reading time. Parents read stories to their children before they go to bed, but once the child starts to read it is forgotten. Instead of reading to your child, let your child read a chapter to you before bed. Help them with words they cannot pronounce or do not understand. Look at selecting books that are a bit over their skill level to continue to push them to the next level.
Bonding with your child is an important part of parenting. It is the way into their mind, when they are set on shutting you out. Anytime you show them that they are still very important to you, you will be creating memories that cannot be taken away.