Kids may talk on and on about a caterpillar they saw in the garden or a cool Lego toy they built, and their favorite people to share every excitement with are mom and dad.
An overview of parent child communication as kids grow
As children grow, their knowledge about their world expands, as does their ability to express their thoughts and opinions in words.
They become better critical thinkers and they question things more and increasingly form their own ideas about things.
That’s partly because their worlds naturally expand beyond just mom and dad to include friends, teachers, and other people they interact with regularly, and no matter how good their relationship with their parents may be, their social lives are developing and competing for their attention.
This natural focus away from home as kids grow is one of the key reasons why it’s important for parents to establish good communication habits early with their children and facilitate parent child communication.
On how to interact with kids, if kids know that dinnertime is sharing time, for example, it will become second nature to them to talk about their day and share their thoughts about things at the dinner table.
Positive communication with children
Getting your child into the habit of talking with you regularly will increase the chances that they’ll keep you in the loop, even as they approach adolescence, and will make it easier for them to come to you when there is a problem or they need your advice about something.
Here are some great ways you can make conversations a regular part of your daily routine.
1. Set aside a regular time to talk
Whether it’s dinner time, bedtime or during a bath, establish a time every day that’s your quiet time to connect and catch up without interruptions or distractions.
Here’s the caveat on parent child communication.
The time of the day doesn’t matter– what’s important is that your child knows it’s your private time together, when you and the child can relax and talk about whatever is on your mind.
Do this individually with each child, so that each kid has his or her unique time with you without having to share with a sibling.
2. Make dinner time a priority
No matter how busy you are, try to eat dinner together at least a few times a week. Studies have shown that eating meals together regularly is linked to a host of benefits for kids, including improved academic performance, reduced risk of obesity, and even better emotional and mental health.
If regular family dinners are impossible or you don’t have time to cook, try to find alternative solutions, like having breakfast together or getting taken out from a restaurant.
