Why it's now more important than ever to spend time with your child
Can you read the signs? Do you understand what your child is trying to communicate? A mother and a child's bond is special. Every mother has a sixth sense when it comes to her child. This is what helps a mother read signs, which may not be noticed by others, as well as steer them towards the right course.
It is indeed effective in guiding and nurturing your children as they grow and mature. However, one will notice that there are certain traits that define a personality type and as a parent you need to keep that in mind and look out for signs as your child grows.
Parents should work on understanding their child's psychology. Observe their daily routine, find out the simple things that show the kid's likes or dislikes, what makes him laugh or cry, and what motivates the child or causes him/her grief. Read into these signs.
One of the ways you can identify with your child is by observing them as they sleep, eat or play. Which activities do they like best? Is adjusting to changes easy for them or do they need time to get familiar with new things? These things are the normal characteristics of any child and your kid may not be an exception.
Talk to your child. You'll be surprised at their learning skills and abilities to mimic and pick up things simply by observing you. Facial and body expressions play a key role. Ask them questions, it allows them to express before you and communicate freely. They need to feel safe and know that you are there to help and listen to them.
I have mentioned this earlier, each child has a different learning curve and some pick up faster than others. Never compare your child with other kids. Allow them to build their self-esteem. The development of a positive self-concept or healthy self-esteem is extremely important and is essential in shaping their personalities. As they grow older, it helps them develop personality traits and learn to differentiate between right and wrong. A positive parent-child relationship provides the framework and support for children to develop a healthy respect and regard for themselves and for others.
Children in their formative years are eager and curious and crave to spend time with their parents. It makes them feel special. Parents should find time and spend it playing with their kids on a regular basis. Indulge in some one-on-one and family time. If you are a single parent or have a single child, invite family or friends over to play occasionally.
Once they start school, parents need to look for signs in behavioural changes. Your child could be undergoing abuse or bullying and may not talk about it. Parents need to map out a plan to solve social issues with care, as they would deal with academic or health problems.
Look out for signs of attention deficit disorder, autism or anxiety. You may not even realise that when your child throws a tantrum, it could be a sign of something else. Most parents will encounter a few bumps in the road as their child moves from being a baby to a teen and then an adult. Pay attention to their environment, nature and nurture play a pivotal role in shaping their overall personality. Their experiences impact how they respond to certain situations and this in turn helps with performance, decision-making, social, logical, and cognitive abilities.
After all, our children are seeds and we need to be able to let them grow and allow them to take their own decisions, but they should know the difference between right and wrong. They should also know how to go about things, express and have a voice of their own when folks aren't around.