How to Strengthen Your Parent-Child Relationship

The relationship built between parent and child is the first of many relationships your little one will build throughout their life, so pouring love, time, and energy into that relationship as they begin in their social emotional development is essential. 

Let Your Inner Child Out

A strong relationship with your little one starts with a strong relationship with yourself. If our parents did not prioritize a relationship with us, we are at risk of doing the same with our little ones. It’s important to connect with our own inner child and take care of them, so we can show up for our little ones. One of the best ways to do this is when you’re playing with your little one, let your inner child out to play with them. But what does that look like? Think of the activities or games you loved playing as a child and share them with your little one. Honoring and loving that part of yourself can lead to healing, helping your own social emotional development, and the breaking of generational cycles.

Prioritize Time with Your Little One

Your little one looks up to you and all they want is your time and attention. Every family dynamic and situation is different, so while some parents might be able to attend multiple mommy and me classes every week, some parents may have very limited time during the week to spend with their little one. That’s why it’s so important to prioritize the time you do have with them. Consistency for little ones is crucial, especially when it comes to spending time with someone they love. You are building trust with your little one every time you commit time to them. Here are some helpful ways to establish this special time with your little one:

• When? Figure out a time that, rain or shine, you will spend with your little one. Before work, after work, on the weekend, a certain day or set of days during the week — whatever your schedule looks like, it’s important to make sure that time with your little one is definitely in there.

• What? Sharing breakfast, a walk in the park, a program or movie you watch together, bath time, story time before bed — all of these are great ways to show up for your little one. If you’re an NYC local, maybe you could spend some time at the Indoor Playground at Playgarden Tribeca, or head off to a mommy and me class or an enrichment class together. Find an activity, or a few, that you enjoy doing together. Again, it’s not necessarily what you do that needs to stay consistent, but the time being spent together.

Keep a Memory Log

This is based on the “Homework for Life” prompt by Matthew Dicks. At some time during the day, write down how you spent it with your little one. You can keep a physical journal or a note in your phone. Record what you did, what you talked about, anything you would love to look back on and even share with your little one as they get older. Amidst busy schedules and time away from home, having a catalog full of memorable quotes and adventures with your little one can help them feel closer to you, now and years from now. In making this a practice, you may notice yourself being more present so you can remember those special moments and memorable quotes that you hear throughout the day. You can read more about this practice here: The Homework for Life Technique.

It can feel difficult to connect to a little one you may not be able to communicate with yet, but all your little one really needs to know is that they are loved and safe — essential for their social emotional development. From there, your relationship can bloom through hobbies, mommy and me classes, adventures, inside jokes, and memories that you both will hold forever!