When you first have a baby, they are dependent upon you for everything. However, as they grow, they need to less and less, and you may feel that the bond between you is breaking. But that is not so. All relationships change and evolve, it is perfectly natural, and it is up to you as a parent to find new ways to develop better bonds as they age. In fact, the relationship you have as an adult can be so much more rewarding and meaningful.
Anyway, here are some idea to get you started:
Make meal preparation a family affair
If you want to enable a better bond, then it may be a good idea to involve the children in the decision process for evening meals. Each one of them could have a go at choosing a recipe, and together you purchase the ingredients and make it. Ensure that even the quieter children have a go at choosing, so they are all involved. One night could be oven baked fish sticks, the next something totally different. It is a fun way to bond, and you will learn a lot about your child from this. And you will all learn a lot about food and how ingredients go together. It is a way to instill healthy eating habits into the children too.
Table dinners
So you have made the food as a family, why not eat it as a family too. Tell the children and your partner to turn off their phones, and sit around the table, in a good old fashioned way. It could be a sort of family ritual, and for that reason, you can make it fun. While at the table, you can ensure that your children are all eating well and make sure that you open up the lines of communication. Talk to each other, ask questions, get everyone involved, and enjoy each other’s company. Laugh and joke. Life is not always so serious, and laughing is good for the soul. Make sure everyone has finished before letting them down from the table. Some old fashioned habits really are worth bringing back.
Family activities and outings
Decide what you are going to do on the weekends as a family. It could be a democratic vote, or everyone can have a turn at choosing what to do. But, getting out and about will build a team-like comradery. You will learn about your children, their strengths and weaknesses, and this will help you understand them better. Being able to see how they are will tell you so much more than trying to force them to talk to you. If you have an activity where you really need to work together to achieve a common goal, that could be extremely beneficial. Whatever problems they may have in their social life will be wiped away as they concentrate on something else. No matter how the day turns out, they will have had a good time, and you will feel as if you have been developing that bond between you into adulthood.