There is enough and more research that has shown the importance of spending quality time with your children as a family. Giving children you’re undivided attention and doing tasks together has shown benefits in a number of areas. Importance of family in a child’s life can be gauged from the fact that children who feel loved and cared for, grow up to be mentally & emotionally strong. They are also less likely to indulge in risky behaviors such as drugs or alcohol usage.
There are enough and more reasons why family time needs to be a priority. Here are only a few of those reasons:
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Building an Emotional Bond
Spending time with family is a sure fire way to build strong emotional bonds. It is these bonds that help an individual navigate the choppy waters of life knowing that they have people to fall back upon. With a strong family bond, children are also more likely to share any issues that may be bothering them and in turn, your advice can help them to be better equipped to solve their issues.
Self-Esteem
Family bonding also goes a long way in filling the child with self-esteem, which is an important marker for success in just about any aspect of life. The right dose of self-esteem can lead the person to take the right decisions whether they relate to their relationships or career.
In fact, the importance of family time on child development can be seen in terms of the child’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual development. Bonds with the family, in turn shape the child’s values, skills, socialization as well as security.
Positive Behavior
As per a study, children who spend time with the family are less likely to display behavioral issues at home or at school. Spending time as a family also allows the parents the opportunity to model the behavior that they want the child to emulate. Besides when children receive positive attention, it increases their propensity to continue those healthy patterns. Family activities also offer a much-needed outlet for any pent-up emotions.
Improved Communication
The answer to why is family time important, is also that it helps you create an environment that enables you to have an open communication. Once the child is comfortable about discussing any issue with you, you sure have a winner at your hands. What time together can also achieve is effective conflict resolution skills. This is a great preparation for the child for life, where he understands that different people can have different perspectives and that healthy conversation and discussion is the way out. Constructive problem-solving, therefore, becomes an important life skill that stands the child in good stead.
The importance of family time established beyond doubt, let us look at some ways in which you can spend quality time with your children.
Tips for Spending Quality Time with Children
- Ensure that you set out a specific time when the family gets together sans any distractions such as the mobile phone or work e-mails.
- Creating some rituals such as a story reading time before going to bed is ideal. Not only will it help in bonding with the child, it will also present to you many coachable moments.
- Scheduling activity time such as baking or a games night can also work well.
- Laughter goes a long way in improving emotional health as also de-stressing everyone. Watching an age appropriate comedy movie or even simply sharing some jokes can work wonders after a long day.
- Simply listening to your child talk about his day, friends and more, can be a great way to bond.
To Sum Up
What you need to do is to make a meaningful connection with your child. Not only will it fill the child with self-esteem, it will ensure that the child grows up with healthy coping mechanisms. The child’s ability to face life’s challenges will increase manifold with a strong family bond. With the child knowing that he or she belongs and is cared for, resilience and adaptability is a natural corollary. Needless to mention that all these factors are important markers of happiness and success in adult life.
