Bonding Activities For Parent And Child

When we think of parent-child bonding, we often picture a mom cradling her newborn baby close to her chest. However, that is only the tip of the iceberg regarding parent-child bonding. Bonding is imperative to healthy relationships between parent and child, and this includes dad as well. It goes well beyond infancy.

Why Is Bonding So Important?

Bonding between parent and child starts in infancy and often comes in the form of skin-to-skin contact (SSC) immediately after birth. Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics promotes SSC because it “stabilizes the newborn’s body temperature and can help prevent hypothermia. It also helps stabilize blood glucose concentrations, decreases crying, and provides cardiorespiratory stability, especially in late preterm newborns. SSC has been shown in numerous studies as a method to decrease pain in newborns being held by mothers and fathers.”

Further research also suggests that bonding with one’s baby can help the infant grow into a happy and socially adjusted individual. The University of Iowa studied parental-child bonding and found that these close relationships benefit babies in the long run. According to the study, those with strong parental bonds tend to be “less troubled, aggressive or less likely to experience other emotional and behavioral problems when they reach school age.” While strong bonds have positive outcomes in a child’s life, weak bonds between parents and children may result in the child experiencing anxiety, depression, and detachment issues in adulthood, according to a study done by The American College of Pediatrics.

When these bonds are built, so is trust. Trust accompanies strong and healthy relationships. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation notes that trust also makes it easier to share information because the person sharing is less fearful of being judged. When a parent and child have a healthy and strong bond, the child is likely to be more inclined to share both positive and negative news with their parent(s).

Child-Father Bonding

Bonding with one’s child is not strictly maternal. Dads are encouraged to bond with their children at birth and all life stages. The Association of Women’s Health and Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) notes a study that says, “fathers reported that they didn’t start to experience fatherhood until birth. Most fathers enter parenthood expecting an immediate emotional bond with their newborns, but report that bond takes time. In fact, some fathers still did not feel bonded to their infants as late as 6 weeks to 2 months after birth.” This can then lead to paternal postpartum depression.

Bonding is important to the well-being of both fathers and their infants and toddlers. AWHONN mentions that when a father and child form a strong connection, it “reduces cognitive delay, promotes weight gain in preterm infants, and improves breastfeeding rates.”

Furthermore, differences in fatherhood involvement with bonding styles also contribute to their child’s well-being.

In a 2006 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report, W. Brad Wilcox states, “Fathers spend a much higher percentage of their one-on-one interaction with infants and preschoolers in stimulating, playful activity than mothers. From these interactions, children learn how to regulate their feelings and behavior. Roughhousing with dad, for example, can teach children how to deal with aggressive impulses and physical contact without losing control of their emotions.”

This influences children’s ambitions over the long run, can help them step out of their comfort zone more easily, and can even create learning opportunities from the risks that they take.

Bonding Activities for Parent and Child

We now know why parent-child bonding is vitally important. But how does a parent continue to bond with their child once they start to squirm, run away, and think that kisses and hugs from mom and dad are gross? The following are activities that parents can implement to foster a solid child-parent relationship well into early childhood, tween, and teenage years.

Bonding With Toddlers

1. Read! We know that reading is important for growing a child’s intellect, but it can also strengthen the relationship between the child and the parent. Parenting.com encourages parents to get animated when reading to their toddler and re-read the books their toddler chooses—even if it is for the 100th time.
2. Create traditions that they can remember for years to come. Parenting.com writes, “Toddlers are going through big developmental changes, so anything predictable will make them feel secure—especially if they can share that moment with you.” Why not take your infant or child to the park every Friday, make baked goods on the first weekend of each month, or even have something as simple as crazy sock day once a week?
3. Partake in their imaginary adventures. This will show them that you support their creativity and can let loose. Depending on your child’s personality, they will get a kick out of being able to boss mom/dad around if they are in charge of the whole adventure. The rules may not make sense, but you both will have something special to reminisce about.

Bonding With Young Children

1. It’s never too early to teach your child a life skill or a hobby. Chances are they will be willing to learn because they will get to spend time with you. As they practice and improve their skills, they can look back and recall that someone close to them taught them all that they needed to know. Some creative teaching opportunities are gardening, dancing, and photography.
2. Once in a while, let your child pick out their own outfit. You can give them some guidelines, but let them know they can be creative and have fun with the task. Sure, you may get a few stares when you’re running your errands with them, but your child will be delighted. Plus, those creative outfits make for great photos.
3. Be patient and attentive and help them identify their emotions. When parents see that something is bothering their child, they will ask, “What’s wrong?” only to get a response of, “I don’t know.” Sometimes, children can’t tell a grown-up what’s wrong because they don’t know how to describe their feelings. Frequently talking about emotions can boost a child’s emotional intelligence and lead them to work out their problems independently. This practice also lets them know that the topic doesn’t scare you and can reassure them that they can turn to their parent(s) or caregiver when something is emotionally difficult.

Bonding With Tweens

1. Joke with them. Joking lets your child know that their parent is not always uptight and shows affection in a different way. It can also help your child’s sense of humor grow. Creating inside jokes that no one else understands is always fun.
2. Each year, take a trip to the same destination. It could be a day trip or an actual vacation, but the tradition is a great way to bond with your tween. When you reach your destination, let them choose an activity the family can partake in. Remember to take a lot of pictures to commemorate all your time spent together.
3. Be engaged and ask them about their current interests. Their obsession with dinosaurs could be a phase, but being genuinely curious about their interests will let them know you care. They will likely be excited to explain the ins and outs of their favorite trend. Once you learn about their interests, check in regularly with your young expert for updates to continue to show them that you care.

Bonding With Teenagers

1. Get to know your teen’s friends. Showing your teen that you’re giving their friends a chance is a big deal to them, even if the friends may not reciprocate the interest. Since you are familiar with who they will be talking about, they may be more inclined to discuss the hardships that come with teen friendships.
2. Tackle a big project together. Maybe you want to repaint the living room, or it’s time to clean the attic and have a garage sale. Let your teen know you will need their help to finish on time. You will all feel accomplished when the project is completed, knowing that teamwork gets the job done.
3. Continue to celebrate your accomplishments with one another. Let your teens know you are proud of them, and they will likely return the favor.

There are many benefits to parent-child bonding activities, but it is important to remember that they do not need to be constant or major productions. Telling your child, “I love you,” can be enough to strengthen the connection that has already been established. With all this information and ideas, you can gradually start implementing them into your life and watch your relationship with your child develop into something beautiful.