HOW TO CONNECT MORE WITH YOUR CHILD Part 1

Every time we say “yes” to something, we are forced to say “no” to everything else. Whether due to financial necessity, desire for adult company, intellectual stimulation, or other reasons, more and more mums (and dads) are leaving the home to work and experiencing a sense of loss of connection with their child.

Parents want to be with their children. We want to see them grow, develop, take their first tentative steps, talk for the first time, and more. But we cannot do it all.

Here are some ideas for working parents to make the most of the limited time that they have with their children.

Connect

When you collect your child from day-care or school, spend time right there and then to connect. Find out what they did. Talk about their activities. Let them show you around their experiences for the day. Be guided by them though, and leave if they just wants to go home. Keep the radio off in the car and chat with them, sing with them, and make the commute count.

Devices down

The emails are pinging. The Facebook notifications are flashing. The texts are dinging. Ignore them. They may seem important, but they can (typically) wait until your child is in bed. Until then keep devices down. The message we send to our children emotionally while we’re messaging everyone else digitally is clear: other people matter more than you do. Our capacity to connect with our kids is crushed by the screen tsunami. Keep devices away until later.

Invite him into your world

When you get home from work it will usually be full-on. There’s dinner to prepare, a bath to run, a house to organise, preparations for tomorrow, and most likely even more work to do. Where it’s possible, invite your child into your world. Rather than sticking them in the corner with their iPad, get them chopping carrots, stirring onions, or running the bath with you.

Touch

We easily forget how important touch is for a healthy relationship and a healthy child. Make sure you hug, tickle, and touch. It builds bonds.

Have a great week!

See you around the school. J

Chappy Cam