Interacting with your child

One of the best ways to ensure a happy and positive child is by constant interaction with the parents. Here are some ideas on how you can promote healthy interaction with your child regardless of age.

Communication is the key to any relationship, especially when it comes to your children. Positive interaction has always been advocated by experts to start your child on the right track of effective communication. It can also build healthy relationships. However, interaction with children is not the easiet thing to do. Because of the different level of understanding, it can become frustrating, especially when dealing with very young children. And it doesn't become any easier when your child grows up into a teenager. Some parents swear it is the hardest years when it comes to parent-child interaction.

Here are some ideas on how you can promote positive parent-child interaction at the different stages of your child's life :

Talking with your baby

Start young : Positive interaction with your child can begin even before he or she is born! Start the bond by singing to your unborn child or even having min conversation with him or her. This way, your child will already recognise your voice and can react better with you later on

Laugh, dance, do whatever to enjoy each other's company : Relax! Just enjoy spending all this time with your child. Have a good time with your baby and communicate with smiles, touch, funny faces and generally being in good spirits. Establish a routine or a playtime that will be unique to the two of you.

Talking with your toddler

Do as much as you can : What your toddler learns in his or her first three years of life will mould him or her into the person they will become for the rest of their lives. Therefore, effective communication is important here as your toddler is at a stage when he or she will learn quickly and efficiently.

Schedule playtime: This is the time when your child begins to strengthen and develop motor skills. To help him or her develop further, sit down with your toddler every day for one-to-one playtime. When your child is slightly older, you may want to consider playtime with children around the same age.

Talking to your teenager

Treat them like adults : The biggest mistake you can do here is still treat them like babies. This can go wrong in two ways - your child will never be able to build self confidence or your child will rebel by acting completely out of line to establish the fact that he or she is no longer a young child.

But still be stern : Don't let your teenager walk all over you. Be an understanding parent but also realise that there will be times when you need to be stern as well, especially when your child has crossed the line. Be firm when giving out punishment so thay your child knows that you mean business. Involve your child in deciding the type of punishment to be imposed.

MORE IDEAS ON WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CHILD

1. Go on trips : Find time once a week to get the entire family together and go on an excursion. It can be a sort or a long trip but what matters most is that the entire family is together to spend quality time together.
2. Have dinners together : Studies has shown that kid who have regular and frequent family dinners are less likely to do drugs. Schedule mealtimes whereby the entire family can sit down together and share this special moment.
3. Game night : Instead of just turning on the television after every meal, why not arrange for game nights? This will allow your child to bond with you over board games and can be a fun time for all.
4. Pay attention to your child's interest : Is your child an artist? Bring out some large sheets of paper and start painting! Your child loves to bake? Spend time together to bake a cake for the entire family

By Assoc Prof Dr M Swamenathan, Phychiatrist

Source : Positive parenting magazine, vol 1 2008