The parent-child relationship is usually the first relationship an infant enters the world with. They will face a whole new world, which will gradually have an impact on them. Parents are the closest people to them, so we need to pay attention to their development and guide them to grow up happy and healthy.

In order to successfully get close to our children’s lives and make them willing to accept our advice and care, we must first establish a good relationship with them. Only under this premise can children get close to us and grow up slowly and healthily.

Here are some tips to build good parent-child relationship:

1. Show your love to them

Do not be shy! Tell your children clearly that your love them. Let them know that even they are not a perfect child, you still love them. If they receive lots of love when they are small, they will know how to love others when they grow up.

2. Spend more time with them

Try to spend more time with your children. Let them know that they are more important than our work or other things. Try different interests with them and develop topics that interest them. If we have the same interests and topics, we can have a closer relationship with our children.

3. Prepare family activity together

Instead of preparing everything for the kids, try to include them in the preparation of the family activities. Listen to their ideas and give them some tasks and rewards. Show them that we respect that they are part of the family, even if they are small children. It can also help them to build the family responsibility.

4. Share our food and eat meals together

When our children were young, we could prepare food for them and then feed them individually. When they are able to sit well and then ingest a wider variety of foods, we can sit and enjoy the meal together. Prepare foods that are also appropriate for them and try to share the food with them. This can help the children integrate into the family.

5. Listen to them

Listen to your children. Even though their words may make no sense or be difficult to understand, be patient and try to put yourself in their shoes and understand what they are saying. In addition, be formal in your attitude and show that we take their words very seriously.

6. Lead them to be positive

Children may face different difficulties and negative emotions in their lives. Understand the situations they encounter and guide them out of their negative emotions. Guide them to be positive and become happier.

Parenting guide for you

From an expectant parent to parent of a child, we may face different difficulties and challenges. Here are some guidelines produced by the Department of Health of the HKSAR for your reference. Guides on how you can support your child to grow up happily.