WHAT YOUR CHILD DOES NEED FROM YOU
I’ve written a couple of articles about what your child doesn’t need from you so here’s one about what your child does need from you. 1. Your Interest. We’re all busy most of the time, if not at work then working at the other things we have to do. If you feel like you can just never catch up, never finish with everything you have to do you’re not alone. So when your child starts a conversation with you, wants to tell you something that you’re not particularly interested in hearing, remember a child’s parents are the people who tell her/him whether or not she’s lovable and that’s her starting point for how she feels about herself as she grows into adulthood and out into the world. 2. Your Time. Set aside some time every day, even if it’s only fifteen minutes, to sit with your child and listen or just sit if they don’t want to talk. Meal time is a good time since everyone has to eat. Ask questions about something you know your child is interested in, not the questions you have to ask like whether or not homework is finished but questions that are neutral or positive. At least once a week offer to do something with your child like watch...