The Family Five: 5 ways to show your child love
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and often the best way to bring awareness is to focus on what we can be doing within our own homes. The most fundamental gifts we can provide our children are feelings of acceptance, security and love. The feeling of a parent's love can improve every aspect of a child’s life.
Here are five ways to display love to your child:
Listen to your child: Show your child they are important to you by engaging in conversations without distractions. Talk to them, ask for their opinions and demonstrate that their thoughts and ideas matter to you. If you have more than one child, be mindful of scheduling one-on-one time to independently engage with each child. Bedtime routines provide a great time to recap the day together before they go to sleep.
Have fun together: A good way to show your child they are important to you is to schedule time with one another. Find simple ways to have fun together that allow you to step into their world and just be silly. Playing games, reading books and cooking together are all great bonding activities.
Prioritize the small things: Parents should demonstrate their love through small, daily gestures. Stop what you are doing when your child talks to you, focus on them, get on their level and look them in the eyes. Knowing they have your attention allows your child to feel important. Show affection by making physical contact through hugs, high fives, holding their hand or just being near them.
Praise and appreciation: Home is the first place where a child can learn self-confidence and to love themselves. Praise your child when they are doing well, and compliment them throughout the day. Thanking a child also helps them feel validated and positive about themselves. Let them know you appreciate it when they listen to you, when they’re being nice to their sibling and when they complete their chores. Tell them you are proud of them, even for small accomplishments.
Family dynamics matter: You may not realize that family dynamics are impacting your child, but your child’s environment impacts how they feel your love. Being a positive role model is important because children learn a lot about relationships by seeing how their parents interact. Parents who show affection and love for each other teach children how to treat other family members.
Hello! I am Amanda Robertson, and I am the Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist for Oakland Family Services’ Children’s Learning Centers. I have been working with children for almost 20 years and have one baby girl of my own. I have a master’s degree in counseling from Oakland University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in child development. My career began with teaching day care and expanded to various positions including ABA therapy, child welfare and residential treatment. I absolutely love what I do and love being a part of Oakland Family Services!
