Even in the midst of the pandemic we are still in the same whirlwind, working from morning to night, we have situations, things to resolve almost all day,  always something to repair, to arrange….and at the end of the day we are exhausted, with nerves extended to the maximum. If we also add feelings of guilt as we have not spent enough time with our own child or children we can find ourselves almost falling into depression.

920827_1543099582686532_8690693177110668095_o

Well, the good news is that it matters less the amount of time that we spend with our child and more, the quality. Rather than spending a whole day with your child but without actually doing anything together (without talking or giving your child only half your attention because at the same time you are in a conference with your boss or conversation with a friend),  it is better to spend half an hour a day in which you dedicate yourself completely to your child, talk to him or her, play together or watch a cartoon without doing anything else at the same time.

For a close relationship with your child and real connection, simple gestures can produce the most amazing results:

  • Speak in a gentle tone, using nicknames or special names that you use in your family such as sweetheart, pumpkin, darling etc
  • Tell your child frequently how much you love him/her and appreciate exactly him/her for who he/she is (mentioning their qualities and short comings which make them unique and adorable) and that you wouldn’t change him/her for anything
  • Hug them when they is not expecting it, tickle them and joke together
  • Read a book that your child chooses and then talk about it
  • Play a game chosen by together, the key to your child’s heart is through play
  • Make them feel important, appreciated and part of the family by involving them in household chores according to what they are able to do
  • Praise their achievements
  • Cook and eat together, enjoying simple meals together rather than sophisticated ones because it’s the time spent together that is important
  • For the few minutes that you put aside for your child, turn off your phone, tv or any other devices that might disturb you

Gestures and activities such as the following also contribute to your child’s emotional development:

  • when you experience different emotions (anger, surprise, happiness etc) tell him/her what you are feeling and describe them (what you feel, think, how your face looks etc)
  • tell your child when you notice his/her emotions eg” I can see you are cross because you are frowning”
  • play different games that practice recognizing the emotions, whether this be drawing different faces on cardboard, your child drawing faces showing different emotions.
  • create a daily routine which is agreed and followed by everyone – this will help your child to become used to the clock, to respect routines and to become familiar with notions of time but especially to feel safe.

Through these simple activities (accessible for everyone but especially though your 100% involvement as parent), in 30-60 minutes spent with your child each day you will manage to have a close relationship with him, full of love, understanding and happiness.[/fusion_text][/fusion_text][/fusion_text]Even in the midst of the pandemic we are still in the same whirlwind, working from morning to night, we have situations, things to resolve almost all day,  always something to repair, to arrange….and at the end of the day we are exhausted, with nerves extended to the maximum. If we also add feelings of guilt as we have not spent enough time with our own child or children we can find ourselves almost falling into depression.

920827_1543099582686532_8690693177110668095_o

Well, the good news is that it matters less the amount of time that we spend with our child and more, the quality. Rather than spending a whole day with your child but without actually doing anything together (without talking or giving your child only half your attention because at the same time you are in a conference with your boss or conversation with a friend),  it is better to spend half an hour a day in which you dedicate yourself completely to your child, talk to him or her, play together or watch a cartoon without doing anything else at the same time.

For a close relationship with your child and real connection, simple gestures can produce the most amazing results:

  • Speak in a gentle tone, using nicknames or special names that you use in your family such as sweetheart, pumpkin, darling etc
  • Tell your child frequently how much you love him/her and appreciate exactly him/her for who he/she is (mentioning their qualities and short comings which make them unique and adorable) and that you wouldn’t change him/her for anything
  • Hug them when they is not expecting it, tickle them and joke together
  • Read a book that your child chooses and then talk about it
  • Play a game chosen by together, the key to your child’s heart is through play
  • Make them feel important, appreciated and part of the family by involving them in household chores according to what they are able to do
  • Praise their achievements
  • Cook and eat together, enjoying simple meals together rather than sophisticated ones because it’s the time spent together that is important
  • For the few minutes that you put aside for your child, turn off your phone, tv or any other devices that might disturb you

Gestures and activities such as the following also contribute to your child’s emotional development:

  • when you experience different emotions (anger, surprise, happiness etc) tell him/her what you are feeling and describe them (what you feel, think, how your face looks etc)
  • tell your child when you notice his/her emotions eg” I can see you are cross because you are frowning”
  • play different games that practice recognizing the emotions, whether this be drawing different faces on cardboard, your child drawing faces showing different emotions.
  • create a daily routine which is agreed and followed by everyone – this will help your child to become used to the clock, to respect routines and to become familiar with notions of time but especially to feel safe.

Through these simple activities (accessible for everyone but especially though your 100% involvement as parent), in 30-60 minutes spent with your child each day you will manage to have a close relationship with him, full of love, understanding and happiness.