Little Zoies Steps

Being a parent is one of the toughest, yet most rewarding things you will ever do in your life. Raising a child from an infant to an adult is a Herculean task, and one that requires constant hard work, dedication, and patience. Unfortunately, there is no magic recipe to make parenting easier – the only thing you can do is try, try, and try some more. However, there are a few ways you can help make the parenting process a little bit easier on all parties involved: you can try to establish a deeper, better bond with your child.

Again, this is by no means an easy task. Building and strengthening the bond with your child is an ever-changing process that needs plenty of attention and hard work on your end – the rewards are priceless, though, and you’ll get back so much more than you put in. If you’re looking to get a better bond with your child, here are a few things you can do.

Don’t yell and criticise
One of the biggest mistakes parents make is that they yell and criticise their children constantly. Scolding your child can be beneficial sometimes; however, more often than not it will just create more issues than it will solve. If you yell at your children, tell them to do something “because I said so” or speak in a condescending manner, you will begin to create cracks in the foundation of understanding between you and your little one. Instead, try to see things from their point of view. Remember: you were once a child as well! The more you take your time to consider their perspective and explain the reasoning behind your decisions or reactions, the better your communication channels will be – plus, you’ll strengthen the levels of trust between you and your little one as well.

Support them
Children are creative, inventive, and curious. Quite often, they will have a new interest or discovery that they wish to pursue, and the best thing you can do in a situation like this is support them. If your child feels that you support them, they will feel that you understand their wants and needs. Even if you think their new love of science is a bit bizarre, try to feign as much enthusiasm as you possibly can. When your child has a strong support network, they will be more likely to be vocal about any problems or concerns that they have, and the more you share, the deeper and stronger your bond will be with your bub.

Know when to step back
This is not a battle for legal wills – it is okay to step back every once in a while and just let your child be. Don’t suffocate your child or be overbearing; instead, recognise when they need your help and when it is okay to let them tackle a problem on their own. If you constantly try to involve yourself in every aspect of your child’s life, they may begin to feel suffocated and pull back. Although it is difficult, sometimes it can be beneficial to your relationship with your chid if you just let some things go.

Kayla Henry is a mother who doesn’t always know when to let things go. Sometimes, she thinks her stubborn nature is a bit too much, but hey – parenting is all about learning and growing, right?