Easy ways to bond with a toddler
The ways to bond with a toddler have so little to do with what conventional adults might like- it’s the hands on, no thoughts about consequences, all the bright colors, giggle with me endlessly kinds of love that pay off. I caught up with a few of my favorite parenting experts and veteran moms for tips on how to bond with a toddler better than ever before:
1. Real talk. “When you are talking to your little one always make eye contact with them at their eye level. Sit with them on the ground and talk to them. Treat them like a little person and not like a piece of chattel. One way my kids and I bonded early on- we took lessons together; we took piano lessons as a mother-child team, we did art classes and even dance. I think the key to any successful bonding experience is seeing this child as their own unique individual and respecting their needs and treating them with the same respect you would anyone else- even when they throw their yogurt at your face,” says Melissa Chapman of TheStateIslandFamily.com.
READ MORE: 17 Ways Toddlers Are Just Like Dogs
2. Do what they want. That sounds like a recipe for chaos, doesn’t it? Vera Sweeney of BabyRazzi.com says it’s the magic forumla though, “Sometimes you just have to do what your child wants to do… even if that means collecting rocks in the backyard. As a parent, we always want to stimulate our children’s brains as often as possible. But time spent together is time spent together. I’ve learned this after having three little ones of my own. Weekends don’t always have to mean rushing off to the museum. They could just mean laying on the couch and coming up with words that rhyme with ‘song’. Your bond builds wherever you are.”
3. Endless unconditional love. It may sound obvious, but Audrey McClellad of MomGenerations.com says it can’t be done enough, “You can never say I love you enough. It leaves an impression on a child and let’s them know true, unconditional love. Every night when I tuck the kids in, I always have a bedtime ritual with them. It’s the same thing every single night. My 4 sons know it by heart now, they smile. I’ve already started with my daughter, I will whisper in her ear a special one on one goodnight. It’s a way to bond and for them to always and forever know how much they are loved. ”
4. Cook together. Feeding a little one is often a difficult task, so why not kill two birds with one stone: bond with your toddler while making them a meal they’ll actually eat. Children as young as one can throw their own berries into a fruit salad bowl, or older kids can help press cookie cutters into grilled cheese sandwiches to make cute shapes. Five minutes in the kitchen can be a lifetime of positive, loving memories.
5. Just keep talking. Shakira just released a video about her experience talking, growing, and learning with her young son. “I know how important it is to talk to our children even more than what we think is necessary,” the popstar says in her YouTube clip. Check out the video below:
