The Importance of Connecting with your Kids

I hope you are enjoying your summer and that you are spending as much time as possible with your children before the end of the summer break.  Summer is a great time to connect with your kids. Families are generally less busy with organized activities like sports, music & dance lessons, etc. and of course there are not the demands of school and all that it entails. 

Developing a strong connection with your child(ren) is so important and forms a foundation for positive communication and interaction.  In order to help develop that connection, parents need to create specific time slots dedicated to spending some one on one time with each of their children. 

Busy parents often tell me they spend a lot of time with their children, but when they begin to take a closer look, they realize that much of that time is focused on getting kids to and from places, getting homework done and participating in the events & happenings of  a busy household.  Often there is little time left to talk about the things that matter most or to just have fun together.

One important Positive Discipline tool is to spend “Special Time” with your child.  This is time aside from the hustle and bustle of the family schedule with no strings attached.  In other words, Special Time should not be conditional or based on factors such as behaviour, poor grades, etc.  It is time for just you and your child to be alone together because you love each other and want to connect.  Spending one on one time with kids gives them a sense of how important they are to you.  To enhance that sense of significance, be sure that you are not trying to do other tasks during Special Time (phone calls, email, texting, etc.).  Focus on your child as if they are more important to you than anything else you could do.

Summer provides opportunities for spending Special Time at places like the zoo, park, and other outdoor venues.  Be creative and be sure to involve your child in the decision of where to spend and what to do during your Special Time. 

Enjoy the rest of your summer!