Hello, Mom! Remember the day the doctor confirmed that you were pregnant? You were very happy, so you dined with dad at your favorite restaurant to celebrate the good news, right? You may not have realized this, but that particular moment was practically the first time you rewarded your child for making you both very happy. Well, thank you. I have one question though – should parents’ happiness be the child’s ultimate goal to get rewarded?
Parents typically reward their kids when they achieve academic honors or bring home a silver or gold medal from a competition. Such achievements boost parents’ pride and honor, making them happy and celebrating success. However, more than the discernible are intangible things that at times hardly meet the eye, yet are felt in the heart. Take a look at the endless moments of success that your child brings every day.
A child brings joy not just to parents but to the whole family and even to friends. Didn’t you feel happy and proud when they uttered their first word, “mama,” did their first steps, and grasped your face? Your little bundles of joy deserve to be rewarded, so give them kisses and hugs.
Kisses and hugs have three significant benefits for your child:
Help strengthen your baby’s immune system.
Affection can raise your baby’s IQ and overall intelligence.
Physical affection teaches babies empathy.
Lack of touch can stunt a child’s growth and brain development, which eventually may cause motor delay.
As the child starts to talk, parents and even other family members have the responsibility to be the first teachers. However, the teaching curriculum should not solely focus on getting him to memorize ABCs and count numbers 1-10, but valuing his thoughts and feelings by helping him to express them.
Sit beside or cuddle him and communicate:
Read a book to him to improve his communication proficiency, develop language acquisition and introduce him to a range of vocabulary.
Let him interact with siblings and friends to develop social and interpersonal skills.
Encourage him to participate in academic activities to develop competitiveness and prepare him for future academic and professional challenges.
Lack of communication can cause poor language skills development, weak emotional bonding and behavioral problems.
Children develop a sense of self-motivation to do their best to achieve goals when they are commended or praised materially, and more so verbally.
Top 3 ways to commend your child:
Praise him/her for what makes her accomplishment so special (I love the color scheme in your art project).
Show acceptance to build his self-confidence (That’s my girl!).
Celebrate the effort, not the success (Awards don’t matter that much, what’s important is that you did your best in that performance).
Look not solely into the material successes of your child, but most especially the effort he spends everyday to accomplish things that make a difference in life. He deserves to be rewarded and praised even for the smallest things he achieves.
When was the last time you gave little Simon a gummy bear for putting back his toy car on the shelf?
My 5 year old daughter didn't walk until she was 2 1/2 years old and has some developmental delays. So, I've learned to really appreciate every milestone, effort and goal my daughter achieves. She was also not able to socially connect with other children. When she finally was able to step off a curb, jump and make friends, it became a big deal. I am so proud of her. She has come a long way, has such a positive attitude and is the best friend to everyone.
These are all great tips and the facts are interesting. This is a great post!
I agree Kisses and hugs are so important and easy to accomplish each day! It is not easy being a parent but we should all follow this advice.