The Importance of Fostering a Positive Parent-Child Relationship

The Importance of Fostering a Positive Parent-Child Relationship

  August 05, 2020    AVisenMD

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Perhaps the most important family relationship is between a parent and a child and rightfully so, as this relationship clearly identifies how a brand new human being is about to evolve for the rest if its life.

It is vital to recognize and involve positivity in a parent-child relationship as they impact child development throughout his/her life. As you, being a parent, indulge in this roller-coaster ride, there are strategies that can support and enhance your relationship with your child.

Objectives of this article:

• Identify characteristics of a positive parent-child relationship

• Discuss the science behind early childhood development

• Outline outcomes of a parent-child relationship

• List some useful strategies to control stress

• Insight into developing an in-depth perspective of a parent
  

Before you begin reading further, try to think of words or behaviors that come to your mind when you think about what a positive parent-child relationship should be like, and remember those words as you read.

What are some characteristics of a positive parent-child relationship?

Have you ever stopped to notice how your child would perform an action and look at you in a subtle way as if they are wondering, "Mommy/Daddy, did I do this right?"?

Parents should always seek to respond to their children in a warm and sensitive manner. It is an innate need of a child to want attention and reassurance. One aspect is the emotional development of children, where they constantly seek their parents' reassurance, which can be through their body language or words. The second aspect is their physical development, where they interact with you through cuddles and hugs when they are sleepy or hungry, or burst into tears to show their pain that they got a boo-boo. All these are examples of how a child is seeking your love, comfort and warmth as they see you as their protective figure.

On the other hand, parents need to tailor their responses that is balanced between heeding to their children's demands and carefully judging, calculating and learning what kind of responses lead to a positive experience between them and their children. Parents need to think where their children stand in terms of their abilities, disabilities, challenges and overall uniqueness. It is important to maintain a positive discipline at home that enforces appropriate age-based guidelines, limitations and boundaries. In one line, your children literally tell you their story: they will, very clearly, communicate to you whether your responses are working with them or not and accordingly, you need to redirect those responses as per their need.

Brief science of early childhood development:

All children are born ready to learn, like a clean slate waiting for words to be written on it. Their genetics, and most importantly, the environment in which their relationships are nurtured shapes their personality. The development of these relationships differs vastly from family to family; how your child responds to you and what behaviors you have encouraged or punished does not have to be matched with or compared to another child. not even his/her siblings. Each child's thought processes, personality, temperament, moral and academic development stems from his/her family history, cultural beliefs and practices, and gender differences.

Outcomes of a parent-child relationship:

When children are nurtured in a positive and supportive parent-child relationship, they develop strong emotional security, they are better able to cope with challenging situations, have a positive outlook with problem solving skills, and foster healthy relationships in their own lives. Children learn the important skills of confidently engaging with others, develop appropriate societal behaviors, take initiative to resolve conflicts and have a thriving self-confidence. As children grow to become teenagers, they adapt strong leadership skills, develop a motivational personality, hone positive thoughts, are better able to cope with lifestyle changes and increasing responsibilities, have a strong sense of self and willpower. These teenagers become young adults with a good practice of self-calming behaviors who have tried and tested and adapted to stress reduction strategies. They develop a keen interest in learning novel things and perform well academically. Whereas, negative feedback combined with punishing behaviors, especially amidst outsiders or another family groups, is strongly linked with a reduction in child's self-worth and confidence.  

Stress-reduction strategies for parents:

It is a clear consensus that parenthood is stressful and demanding, which often compromises the health of the parents, which indirectly affects their relationship with their children. Implement the following to reduce stress:

• Connect: connect and discuss with your spouse and other family members.
• Exercise: get those feel-good hormones flowing!
• Take a break: indulge in self-care, focus on your hobbies, enjoy nature.
• Have fun with your child: you don't always have to be an authoritative figure to your children.
• Daily routine: maintain a daily routine to avoid unnecessary frustration.
• Mindfulness: incorporate meditation and breathing exercises into your busy schedule.
• Ask for support: never hesitate to seek guidance from family, friends and community resources.

Parent's perspective:

As we close this article, there are a few questions that parents must ponder on regularly to guide their own behaviors toward their children: What are you doing that brings out a positive moment during interactions with your child? What do you do that creates stressful situations and how do you respond to it? Do you often notice how your child looks at you? When does he/she make an eye contact with you and when do they hesitate? How does your child react when you assist them with their chores? How often does he/she ask you for help and for what purpose? Can you sense any cues of frustration? How does your child communicate their frustration to you? Does he/she provide any clue to you about how they might be feeling about something? How much time do they spend on social media/watching television/using electronic gadgets? Is your child aware of what media violence is? What steps do you take to protect them from it? How is he/she keeping themselves engaged? What are their hobbies/likes/dislikes? Are they growing and developing appropriately according to their age? Are you keeping an eye on their nutritional needs?

To sum up, parenthood is the one of the greatest joys of life but not an easy task to handle. You probably are familiar with that since the time you were preparing to become a parent. Thankfully, there are certain strategies you can implement and practice in your relationship with your child that will make this beautiful journey more rewarding and less daunting.

Leave your comments below and connect with me for any questions/concerns/thoughts.

References:

1. Angela Fisher-Solomon, National Center of Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning

2. Jennifer Olson, National Center of Parent, Family and Community Engagement