How To Have A Great Relationship With Your Child?
According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention mental health disorders can impact the way children behave, manage their emotions, and learn. Mental Health disorders among children can also lead to kids struggling with handling their emotions in a manner that can help them navigate their day-to-day lives.
Working with a counselor can give your child a healthy, productive, clinically effective space to improve their mental health.
How Mental Health Impacts Children
The CDC found depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder as the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders. The data shows that among children ages 3 to 17 years of age, 9.8% are diagnosed with ADHD and 4.4% with depression. Parents need to know that some mental health conditions can commonly occur with another. For instance, having depression can also lead to anxiety. Or behavior and anxiety.
This data is connected to the CDC where it shows that around 3 in 4 children ages 3 to age 17 years who had depression also had anxiety.
This can make it challenging for kids to handle their emotions and get through a typical day. You know your child best and probably know the type of counseling you are searching for. Contact us today, we are here to help you.
7 Ways To Improve Your Relationship With Your Child
1. Work on self-improvement as a parent.
This can mean something very different for each other person. I want you to consider the areas in your life that require work. For instance, if you notice that you get on edge or short-tempered with your child, try to work on that. If you notice that you hold a grudge and are likely to bring up the past with your child in an unhelpful manner, try to work on that. The key is that you continue to create space for your own work while ensuring that you remove the need to point the finger or blame. As an activity try to count in a given month how many times you focus on your work of self-improvement compared to blaming others.
2. Be willing to address parenting areas of improvement.
One area that often improves the relationship a parent has with their child is the parent’s willingness to be vulnerable by sharing their own errors or areas of improvement. For instance, if you make a mistake or do something incorrectly, you are able to face your child and own up to your actions. Doing so teaches your child that you are a human just like them and that everyone makes mistakes. This is very different than a parent who speaks to their child in a manner that is hurtful and full of criticism. Avoid telling your child that it is their fault they are being spoken to in such a manner. Remember, even if your child is acting disrespectfully, it does not warrant that they receive a disrespectful response. This is called fighting fire with fire and will only lead to further chaos.
3. Create family rituals of connection and learning with your child.
Your child will more than likely have things that interest them and a personality that may differ from their parent. The importance here is to ensure that you and your child have consistent activities that bring you together and help you both learn more about each other. I’ve seen parents have a monthly lunch with their children. They use that time to ask questions, learn more about each other, and strengthen the bridge that connects them as parents and children.
4. Practice acceptance when parenting.
Often parents want to mold their child into a version of themselves or the version that they wish they would have become. There can be so much good acceptance. One place to start this process is by reflecting on the question, does my child feel accepted by me as their authentic self? And the next question is, does my child accept me? The goal here is to get to know your child and slowly grow to accept them for who they are. Doing this will allow you to learn more about them and grow together authentically. Remember, this is a slow process. Take your time and practice patience.
5. Try to repair issues early with your child.
The parent and child relationship can hold ample challenges. There will likely be moments of tension and conflict. As such, it’s vital to get really great at repairing after conflict or disagreement. What typically happens is that a parent and child will reach a point of tension. Instead of repairing the issue, they will brush it under the rug, and for years to come it’ll grow into a larger and larger gap creating distance in their relationship. Remember, you do not have to solve every problem. The key is to ensure that you validate and honor each other with compassion and respect.
6. Align on mutual values with your child.
Research shows that building a healthy relationship can improve a person’s quality of life. Try to create one or two values you and your child can align on. For instance, if you and your child value fitness. Try to once a month partake in going to a sports game or going to the gym together. The more you do this, the more time you’ll have together and be able to see each other strengthen alignment with the value. Remember, the first step is to identify what the value is. It’s okay if it’s not perfect. Pick something simple. Go for a walk, read a book together, or watch a TV series. Let the activity bring you together and ensure that while together there is a space of respect and compassion taking place.
7. Honor your personal time in parenting and life.
It’s important that both the parent and child have their time. A parent should be able to witness their child in spacing that are of their own. For instance, if your child enjoys reading alone. Let them have their own space to read. Take a seat and enjoy their growth in that space. The same goes for parents. Give yourself as the parent, individual time. Your child needs to see you hang out with friends or play a video game. So much leadership can take place through the process of observation.
Let’s start with acknowledging one key consideration when it comes to creating and sustaining a healthy and successful relationship between a child and parent. The key consideration is kindness. Be kind to your child and show kindness in all aspects of life. Show kindness when you are upset and have told your child seven times to do the same thing. Show kindness and you’ll soon notice that your child will learn from your leadership.
Parenthood is a journey made up of unique milestones. Some, like the first steps of life, can be filled with excitement while others. The phone call from the principal can make you feel like your stomach just dropped. No matter where you are in the journey, one item remains consistent. And that is kindness. Be kind to yourself as you navigate the valleys of parenthood. Be kind to your child as they find their way in life. And remember, we are all simply trying to figure it out.
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