The ultimate secret of bonding with your child

What if I told you that there is a secret technique which if practiced just 15-20 minutes everyday with your child will give you immense benefits, including but just not limited to following:

1. Strengthens the relationship It builds a strong emotional bond between the parents and the child. A child who does not get this with their parents is more likely to be attached to TV.

2. Stress buster: This secret technique is form of stress buster for both . Parents and child

3. Enforces discipline : A child who is well-connected and has a strong bond with his parents is more likely to listen to their parents. It is easy to enforce discipline in such circumstances.

4. A happy and content child: Research indicates that a child raised with this technique is happier than its peers. A happy child enriches and improves the quality of your family life.

The blindingly simple technique is, ‘Play’

Play was defined by the emerging play work professionals as behavior which is ‘freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated’ (PlayEd 1982). Students of play often quote that ‘Play is the spice of life’ – where spice represents children’s social, physical, intellectual, cultural and emotional development.

Play is the Universal language of childhood. It is a form of expression which forms an integral part of childhood. It is the way in which children express themselves , understand and make sense of the world around them.  It not only helps the child learn and develop skills, cooperate with others but also improves his self esteem. Play helps build persistence and motivation which are all crucial to a child’s long-term success. It also fosters creativity ,improves problem solving ability of children.

In the last century David Lloyd George stated that ‘play is a child’s first claim on the community’ (1926), and play gained wider recognition under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in which Article 31 enshrines the child’s right to play.

Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity. – Kay Redfield Jamison

Parents must ensure that play is an integral part of the growing up years. Some tips to implement that:

1. Every day take out 20 to 30 minutes out of your daily routine dedicated to playtime with your child. During this time let your child lead you . This unstructured playtime will work wonders for your relationship.

2. Try to include an hour of outdoor play in your child’s daily routine. Children who engage in an hour of outdoor play daily have better immune systems . An added benefit is that the child will sleep quickly and much better at night . Make sure that you do not let this hour of outdoor play be too near to the bedtime. Read about an effective bedtime routine here.

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