As a parent the most wonderful thing about having children is the emotional bond you have with them. This bond is more important than ever when you are a single parent.
As a single parent you are the one your child is going to turn to when he is happy or sad. Your reactions and interactions will shape his perception of the world. It’s a huge responsibility but the bond we have with our children makes it one we willingly shoulder.
It is important for the bond we have with our children that we are always truthful to them and to other people; children hear everything we say, even when we think they are not listening. Our children need to trust us so it’s important that we always tell the truth. Sometimes it’s easier to sugarcoat things and not tell the whole truth but I believe that to have the strongest bond you need to be truthful. Of course, this may be an abbreviated truth if they are too young to understand the whole truth. You have to take your child’s age into consideration when answering their questions. For instance, a five year old doesn’t need a sex education lesson just because he asked where babies come from.
Boundaries are another way we create a bond with our children. While it may be easier to let them do what they want and not enforce boundaries, our children look to us for guidance and they need to know that when they are out of control we will be there to help them until they are able to respect the boundaries we set for them.
Listen to your children. I know I used to tune Hailey out when she would go on and on about something at school, or this friend said this and this one did that, but you need to listen. You will pick up many clues about their day and how they interact with others. It’s important to know what happens in your child’s day but it is more important that they feel they are worth listening to.
Never forget the power of a hug. Physical touch is so important that newborns who don’t receive it fail to thrive. This need doesn’t go away as your kids get older. Hug your teenager, snuggle with your toddler, lie in bed and cuddle with your child before lights out.
Our bond with our children if born from our hearts and each day we reinforce it by our words and actions.