Children need Affection and Attention

Children thrive on love, so shower them with plenty of affection and attention.

One four-year-old boy told his father: I like sitting with you. His father had been away working for months. The boy was glowing with joy as he sat next to the person he loves.

Children yearn for their parent’s attention. They thrive on their parent’s love. Parents provide for their offspring physical needs. Sometimes they even over-indulge their kids with luxuries. They buy them gifts to make up for lost time. But do they actually communicate their love for their children?

Many tell their children that they love them. What they say does not mean much to their children if they hardly know what is going on in their offspring’s lives.

What children want is for their parents to recognize them as they grow and learn. A simple nod or a smile is enough when they come running with their new painting.

As children grow older, they discover various ways of doing things. They want their parents to take a stand with them when they are trying to do the right thing. It is those unique moments when your children least expect you to act in a certain way, that makes them sense that you love them unconditionally.

Children know when they have done something wrong. They know they will be punished for it. But when you pay attention to what is really significant, you may want to surprise your child with an thoughtful and loving heart.

You can say: What you have done is wrong. I am very angry that you did not comply with my words. I know you expect me to punish you. But this time, I prefer to turn something negative into something constructive. Let’s find a way collectively for you to learn this lesson well and not do again it.

I am not suggesting that parents let children off the hook every time they do something wrong. They will have to face the penalty of their misbehaviour or wrongdoing. You have to deal with it in an suitable manner. Children will come to believe and learn their lessons when they know that their parents still love them even though they restraint them. They learn a great deal from their relations with the significant adults in their lives.

If they hear more constructive words from their parents instead of negative ones, they will surely be on the right track in their behaviour.

Here are some ways to create cherished moments with your child:

Spend time together
The younger your child is, the more time he needs from you. If your child is still a baby, he needs you there as much as possible. Personally, you may take five minutes to shower and get ready. But your baby needs you to spend at least 20 minutes to help him get ready for his bath.

Talk him through the progression of undressing and preparing for bath time. This is effective bonding time for parent and child.

Sing along with your child
It does not matter that your singing is worse than some of the contestants in the American Idol show. You can rewrite some of the lyrics of your favourite songs with your child. It adds that extra bit of fun for your child when you put his or her name in the song.

Have fun with feel-your-way art
Be yourself when you sketch or paint with your child. Tell your child to look at the object that he is drawing, not at his paper. Your child can use a pencil to draw the outline. This method of feeling with the minds fingers when your child draws, casting away all awareness, can be quite fun. Everyone in the family can bond in too.

Engage in water play
Even adults have never-ending fun playing with water. Washing the car with a pail and large sponge can provide one of those great parent-child moments. Children also like to play in the rain. Both parent and child can go out in their raincoats and have fun in the rain.

Discover from role-playing
Role-playing can teach children many things that parents find hard to talk about. Children love trying adult clothes and pretending to be fathers and mothers. Sometimes in role-playing, parents can see reflections of themselves in their children.

From there, they can learn whether they are setting the right example for their children.

One child told his father who was reading the newspaper in the same room with him: You are not listening to me. The father behind the newspaper muttered: Of course, I am. Children know their parents care for them when they give their full attention.