Today we are continuing our series of articles featuring the experts at ESCAPE Family Resource Center about showing our children love. The Houston Family Examiner recently had the opportunity to discuss family relationships and the importance of parents showing children love with ESCAPE Family Resource Center Chief Programs Officer Nicole Huff. Don't just wait for Valentine's Day to put a whole lot of love in your child's heart. Today's talk is about preschoolers, ages 3-5 years.
ESCAPE's Chief Programs Officer Nicole Huff shares with me that, "Preschool age is a time for rapid growth in many areas, including independence and essential life skills like dressing and feeding oneself. Preschoolers need clear direction and opportunities to try out new skills in a safe environment."
She offers these recommendations for showing love and bonding with your preschooler.
1) Spend time holding your child
2) Talk and sing to your child
3) Kiss and caress your child
4) Gently massage your child
5) Cuddle up with a blanket together and read a book
6) Compliment your child for his/her behavior or completing a task
7) Hug your child for no special reason
8) Say, “I Love You” to your child
9) Express to your child what you love about them (e.g. “When I see you put all the toys back in the box, I feel so proud of you because you are a very responsible child!”)
10) Provide your child with opportunities to assist in daily chores and tasks such as meal preparation, cleaning, and grocery shopping
11) Encourage them to use their words and introduce new words each day
12) While driving your preschooler to school, talk to them and/or sing a song
13) Surprise your child by taking them out to a favorite place (i.e. park or favorite place to eat)
14) Express your love in writing; write them a special note and card
15) Prepare their favorite meals and snacks
16) Provide them with encouraging words when they feel sad, scared, frustrated, or angry
17) Make time for them and provide them with undivided attention
18) Try to share at least one meal together every day
19) Get messy! Use finger-paints, play with shaving cream, or run through the sprinkler. Show your child that you can loosen up and have fun.
20) Display your child’s artwork and creations proudly.
Subscribe to the Houston Family Examiner as we continue talking to ESCAPE to learn more ways to connect with our children and put a lot of love in their heart. Our next installment in this series will include ways to work with your elementary aged child.
ESCAPE is committed, both locally and globally, to providing child abuse and neglect prevention programs, court-ordered and CPS-approved parenting classes, parenting support groups, parenting tips and professional training tools that anyone can use to develop positive parenting and co-parenting, appropriate discipline, anger management and conflict resolution skills.
Building Confident Families is their core curriculum and can benefit any family, especially those with school aged children.
The First Five class designed to help families with children aged 1-5 with appropriate activities and games they can use to teach their children socialization and self-discipline skills.