fbpx
Potentash
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Potentash
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Potentash
No Result
View All Result
Father having a discussion with his son. Image from http://kualifamily.com/bullying/como-reconocer-la-asertividad/attachment/african-american-father-talking-to-son/

Father having a discussion with his son. Image from http://kualifamily.com/bullying/como-reconocer-la-asertividad/attachment/african-american-father-talking-to-son/

Parenting: How To Build A Stronger Connection With Your Children

Elsie Ndonga by Elsie Ndonga
January 13, 2018
in Babies, Children, Family, Relationships
Reading Time: 4 mins read
134 3
1
164
SHARES
910
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterWhatsApp

Parenting is arguably the single most important task any person will undertake. Every parent describes their journey differently. It is like this infinite world with infinite possibilities. There is no guidebook on how to be the ‘best parent’. There is just a community of parents sharing their tips, tricks, and experiences in order to help each other.

A great parent just loves, protects and wants what is best for their children. It is all a parent can do. To do that, you need to understand your child’s needs and want and understand their strengths and their weaknesses. As a parent, you need to build an unbreakable connection with your children. It does not reduce the ups and downs of parenthood but it makes the experience that much smoother. So how do you build this connection? Here are so many ways of doing this and here are a few of them.

Family having fun together. Image from http://ow.ly/ZNloZ

Communicate

Proper communication is vital in any healthy relationship. It should not be any different with your child. Take time to have conversations with your child. Also, take time to listen. Ask them about their day. Check in on them from time to time even when they are not actively speaking to you. This should be a priority, especially when dealing with teenagers. They do tend to distance themselves from their parents.

When it comes to sharing emotions and feelings. Let your children know that they can share anything – be a safe space for them. Listen to their problems no matter how trivial they may seem. Empathize with them. However, you need to understand that this bond does not happen in a day or night. Be patient with the process.

Acknowledge that you are not perfect

As a child, your parent is superhuman. You believe that they can fix any problem you face. This persona comes with the idea that our parents can do no wrong. So as the children progress in life, it feels like they cannot talk to their parents. They feel that their parents will not understand their problems. Especially for teenage children. Make it a point to break down that wall. Start by sharing some of your life experiences and mistakes you have made in life. This will allow your children to relate to you without feeling like they are disappointing you. Also, do not be quick to jump into giving advice. Sometimes, your children just want to feel like they are being heard.

Spend time with them

Make a conscious effort to spend time with your kids. For the younger ones, you can tuck them and read them a bedtime story, and find out about their day. However, the time you spend with your children should extend beyond that. Find out what they enjoy doing and join them as they partake in those activities. It could be bike riding, trying out different restaurants, watching TV shows or movies.

Whatever it is, be active in your child’s life. Find an activity you both love. Use these activities as bonding sessions. However, note that the quantity of time you spend with your children is as important as the quality of that time. Hanging out with your children when you are constantly on your phone will do little to strengthen that bond. Keep your work and gadgets away and be present.

Let them make their own decisions sometimes

Now, this has got to be the hardest thing for a parent to do. Take a step back and let your kids make their own decisions even when they may not agree with them. Start small. Let them choose the clothes they like or places they want to visit. Letting children make their own decisions promotes independence, it also builds confidence, allows room for self-discovery and teaches them responsibility. But most of all, it communicates to your children that you trust them which works to strengthen your bond.

Father having a discussion with his son. Image from http://kualifamily.com/bullying/como-reconocer-la-asertividad/attachment/african-american-father-talking-to-son/

Discipline them

This may seem to work against the whole idea of drawing your child to you. Even though you are trying to build a seamless relationship with your kids, you cannot always be their best friend. You are a parent first. That means disciplining them when they go wrong. This will not only build their character but it also works in your favour

in the long run. Spare The Rod And Spoil The Child – Alternatives To Physical Discipline

Sometime after the issue is over, after they are done giving you the silent treatment and grumbling whenever they see you, they will see that you meant well. At that point, it makes the child feel safer knowing that their parent has their back no matter what. However, quick disclaimer, this may take a while. So do not expect a congratulatory hug or a thank you anytime soon. One of the downsides of parenthood I suppose.

Share66Tweet41SendShare11Pin15
Previous Post

Travel: Kenya Airways Direct Flights To The US Will Boost Tourism And Create New Jobs

Next Post

Book Review: ‘Homegoing’ By Yaa Gyasi

Elsie Ndonga

Elsie Ndonga

The power of the written word fascinates me. It abides- cannot be forgotten. I write in the hopes that I can document the stories of everyone I meet and everything that I see.

Next Post

Book Review: 'Homegoing' By Yaa Gyasi

Please login to join discussion

Recommended

When Should You Give Up On A Man? 3 Signs He Doesn’t Love You

March 15, 2022
263
Bed and waterbed mattress

Lifestyle: The Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Waterbed

November 30, 2021
136

Popular Stories

  • Black man admiring his date. Image from https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/06/12/188643185/for-black-singles-a-big-gender-split-on-views-of-long-term-relationships

    The Singlehood Series: The Date Who Couldn’t Keep His Eyes Off Other Women

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • A Public Proposal Exposed The Cracks In Their Relationship

    12 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • The Singlehood Series: He Took Me To A Kibanda On Our First Date As A Test

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3
  • The Singlehood Series: The Beautiful Date With Bad Table Manners

    9 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 2
  • The Singlehood Series: Breaking Up With My Rich Boyfriend Humbled Me

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10

Potentash Blog

Potentash

Potentash is an award-winning lifestyle blog. We publish lifestyle content that intersects with health, women, beauty, travel, business, relationships, finances and entertainment.

Explore

  • The Singlehood Series
  • From Stairs To Ramps
  • Man Around Nairobi
  • Pearls And Heels
  • Personal Finance
  • Food + Beverage
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Reviews

Get the Potentash Newsletter

  • Newsletter Archive
  • Subscribe
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023. Potentash, In Partnership with Decima

  • Login
No Result
View All Result
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books

Copyright © 2023. Potentash, In Partnership with Decima

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In