CHILDREN WANT TO STAY CONNECTED TO US PARENTS & CAREGIVERS, AND IT’S EASIER TO ACHIEVE THAN WE THINK, ONCE WE STOP PUSHING THEM AWAY.
Written by Sue DeCaro, Parent Coach and Educator
Staying connected to our kids is easier than we think, but it takes work on our part. Children want us parents to see who they really are. When they feel that they are being supported AT THIS LEVEL, rather than molded into what we want or expect them to be, this is when CONNECTION truly happens. Today, parent coach, Sue DeCaro, explores ideas with us about how to see, reach, and stay connected with our children.
When I look at the scenarios being played out with my own clients, I can’t help but think back to the disconnection I had with my own parents which just seemed to be part of my generation. I was raised in a time when kids were to be seen and not heard. For this reason, us kids spent most of our time with each other, and usually outdoors. We practiced self-regulation naturally in our own environment and sorted out our own problems. As long as we were home in time for dinner, our lives were pretty much our own to manage.