HOW PARENT’S AFFECTION SHAPES CHILD’S HAPPINESS FOR LIFE.

We all live busy, stressful lives and have endless concerns as parents, but it is clear that one of the most important things we need to do is to stop and give our kids a big loving squeeze.

However higher self esteem, improved academic performance, better parent-child communication, and fewer psychological and behavior problems have been linked to this type of affection.

On the other hand, children who do not have affectionate parents tend to have lower self esteem and to feel more alienated, hostile, aggressive, and antisocial.

There have been a number of recent studies that highlight the relationship between parental affection and children’s happiness and success. More resilient and less anxious adults. The study involved approximately 500 people who were followed from when they were infants until they were in their 30s.

When the babies were eight months old, psychologists observed their mothers’ interactions with them as they took several developmental tests. The psychologists rated the mother’s affection and attention level on a five-point scale, ranging from “negative” to “extravagant.” Nearly 10% of the mothers showed low levels of affection, 85 percent demonstrated a normal amount of affection, and about six percent showed high levels of affection.

So, how can you bring more affection into your family’s day?

1.       From the moment you bring your baby home from the hospital, be sure to hold, touch, and rock them in your arms.

Spend many precious moments caressing your baby so that their skin can touch your skin.

2. As they get older, be playful

Do fun activities like dancing together or creating silly games like pretending to be a hugging or kissing monster.

3. Set a reminder to make sure hugging is part of your daily routine.

In the recent Trolls movie, the trolls wore watches with alarm clocks that would go off every hour for hug time. If that’s what it takes, then set yourself an alarm. Or make sure to give your kids a hug during certain times of the day, such as before they leave for school, when they get home from school, and before bedtime.

4. Use affection while discipline a child

As you talk to them about what they did wrong, put your hand on their shoulder and give them a hug at the end of the conversation to ensure them that, even if you are not pleased with their behavior, you still love them. If your children hit their sister or brother, hug them and explain how hugging feels better than hitting.

Finally, be careful not to go overboard and smother your kids. Respect their individual comfort level, and be aware that this will change as they go through different stages.