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If you're a parent, you've probably had the feeling that your child no longer needs you as much as they once did. Even if this isn't intentional, it can cause a chasm between you and your little – or not so little – one.
We don't need things to be this way. There will come a time when the distance between you and your child will naturally widen, but in the meantime, assuming it's too soon for that, here are some suggestions to help you draw closer to your child now.
Snuggling
In the evenings or on days when school is not in session, cuddling is a wonderful bonding activity that helps everyone stay close and relaxed (in a literal sense as well as emotionally).
When you're reading a book together, watching a movie, or even in the first five minutes of them waking up, enjoy the time together. This is extra time, so enjoy it as a treat, and it will become something you both look forward to.
Ask Them Questions
In spite of your best efforts, you can never really understand your child's thoughts and emotions until you ask them directly. It's important to engage your child in conversation about their day, their thoughts on various topics, what they did on their school educational travel trip, and their plans for the future. As a parent, it will teach your child that you value them as a person, regardless of their age.
Listening is just as important as asking, so don't forget to do so. Pay attention to what the child has to say and reply appropriately. Your knowledge about them and the ability to get closer will both increase as you do so.
Put Them In Charge
As your child grows older, they will want more and more responsibilities. You must provide them with the chance to show what they can do and offer them this responsibility in order to prevent them from growing completely apart from you. Begin with small tasks and gradually increase to larger ones, and their confidence in their own talents to achieve goals will grow hugely. At the same time, you can be certain that they will be safe and happy.
Begin with smaller household responsibilities, such as asking them to make their own bed and keep their room neat. This can then be extended to other parts of the home, such as emptying the dishwasher or putting clothing away. Show children how to cook dinner, or at least choose menu items, and how to use the internet to do online shopping so they may buy birthday presents with their own money. This will help to prepare them for later life, as well as show them that you trust them now, and that will help you stay close.
Laugh At Their Jokes
It may seem insignificant, but listening to a child tell a joke and then giggling at it is something that will help them develop in confidence and keep them close to you. It's a minor detail, but that doesn't make it any less important.
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