Importance of family bonding to kids: Nurturing Children for Life

Family is where everything starts. It is the pillar for children’s growth and will serve as a foundation for their future. From infancy to the pivotal teenage years, the family’s role in these ranges contribute to shaping a child's character, values, and resilience.

The problem in today’s families

Nowadays, family time is disrupted with each member’s jam-packed schedule between work, school, and extracurricular activities, leaving little room for quality time with one another. But family time is actually one of the most crucial things families can do for their little ones.

Benefits of Strong Family Bonds

Here are a few benefits your children acquire through your time together with them:

1. Communication and Social Development

Communication first blooms within a family. Children learn to express themselves, actively listen, and understand different perspectives through the people most common around them, which is their family. Encourage different familial interactions so your kids can learn to how to communicate which can go far in life.

2. Resilience and Life Skills

A strong family relationship can equip kids with the resilience to conquer their challenges. Through their family’s support during difficult times, our little ones can learn coping mechanisms, problem-solving, and the importance of perseverance. They can also have peace of mind that their family will be on their side when difficult times strike.

3. Impact on Academic and Behavioral Development

Family’s influence on children extends to their academics and behavioral development. A supportive family fosters motivation, discipline, and one’s positive attitude toward learning. They can also learn how to be a civilized individual with the family shaping their conduct that extends even beyond the household.

4. Improved Emotional Well-Being

When children feel loved and supported within their families, they start to cultivate a strong sense of security and belonging, which stems from their experiences within the household. This enables them to equip themselves with skills to persevere through stress, anxiety, and challenges in life.

5. Blueprint for Future Relationships

Children’s relationship and way of interacting within a household serves as a blueprint on how they handle future relationships. A positive and loving family serves as a model that influences how children form connections.

Making Family Time a Habit

So, what can you do to make family time a priority? Here are a few tips:

1. Schedule regular family meals

A great way to connect with the family is by scheduling a family meal, where the family can be together, and each member can talk about how their day went. This establishes a sense of belonging within the family and constructs how children communicate and express themselves beyond the household.

2. Plan family activities

Another tip is to plan family activities. Spend time with one another through activities that everyone will enjoy such as watching movies, outings, and more. It can also be done indoors, by playing educational toys and games, and more.

Make learning through educational toys extra fun by making it inclusive to the whole family! You can check out our list of curated educational activities here that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family.

3. Show love and affection

Tell your kids you love them and show it through hugs and kisses. This may be obvious but it makes a huge difference as children can be confident and assured through these small gestures.

4. Put away the screens

Be present in the moment. Whenever you are with your family, make it a habit to put your gadgets away and any other distractions and focus on being fully present. Make meaningful conversations and spend the moment with one another.