What should we reinforce in communication with our children?

One of the greatest and most awaited joys for parents is to hear their children's first words; however, even before that, as tiny newborns, you can already enjoy their changes of expression, their attentive looks and gurgles, which are a clear manifestation that they are communicating.

Although communication with children is one of the most beautiful experiences, it is a process full of challenges that parents must assume with skill and love to ensure that their children grow up in a healthy way and become full and successful adults.

Communication as a valuable resource

Responsible parenting implies that parents are aware that the fundamental goal of their work in the family is to provide their children with an education that will give them the necessary resources to live in society and make their contribution to the world. As with any goal to be achieved, it helps a lot to visualize the final objective of the future, when we see the children become responsible adults capable of forming their own families when the time comes.

It is intelligent that from the moment of becoming parents, a defined strategy is created to interact with the children and, as we go along, make the necessary changes and adjustments to fulfill the objective, because if we are observant, we will see that in parenting there are actions that weaken the personality of the children, and others, strengthen it.

Love is the first and most important ingredient in the upbringing of a child and together with love, cultivating honest communication becomes a requirement without which good results will not be obtained, because honesty is not only about teaching children to always tell the truth to parents, but requires parents to be an example by always behaving with the truth as a basis, because children learn by imitating adults and although being honest is not always easy, and there are issues that are sensitive to share, parents must insist on the exercise of being consistent with what they say and do in their daily lives.

It is also important to use words appropriate for the child's age when communicating with him/her, expressing ideas clearly and precisely, avoiding excessive vocabulary and something very useful is to choose the right moment for the message to be understood by the children, which sometimes at early ages are undervalued by adults, ignoring that children can form their own opinion of things and this is becoming more and more noticeable in current times, where children receive through technologies a large volume of information.

Another important ingredient is empathy, a quality that allows us human beings to understand what others feel and to transmit affection and support, since a phrase of encouragement, an affectionate pat, a hug, have an incalculable therapeutic value and are as curative as the best medicine. And parents should always keep in mind that effective parenting includes the value of responsibility, as it helps children to self-manage and seek alternatives to achieve their goals, which guarantees the personal advancement of every successful individual.

The need for healthy communication

Both children and parents, living together in an environment of sincere communication, strengthen each other and children grow up feeling secure and learning to assume reality with all that it entails, making decisions and being cooperative, also developing respect and acceptance towards others and towards themselves, a necessary attitude for a strong and healthy self-esteem.

Communication serves parents as a vehicle to transmit to their offspring attitudes, behaviors and values useful for their future interpersonal relationships, and only with good communication parents, as the main responsible for the formation of children, can be informed about their school life, their extracurricular activities, know about their group of friends and have an active presence in all important events to bring them the support and affection they require, also expressed in games, family sports and outdoor walks, where in direct contact with nature an exceptional framework is created to address certain issues that the daily routine does not favor.

Healthy communication brings deserved praise, security and well-being, fostering their emotional maturity and, feeling loved, they will be able to express love to others, something very important that, if learned as a child, is never forgotten.

Healthy communication and family

It cannot be said too much about the importance of communication, so that all the members of the family enjoy a well-being that enriches them, since the home is the best scenario to learn and exchange knowledge and skills, and at the same time, the bonds of affection among all are strengthened.

Although it is fair to think first of all of the children because of their young age and all the needs that this implies, everyone in the family needs to enjoy good emotional health, since the current pace of life, with its pressures, demands from adults an emotional strength that is necessary to keep renewed and nothing is more revitalizing than coming home and being nourished by the embrace and the signs of affection that we only share with our family, especially with the children, who bring to family relationships the incomparable treasure of their spontaneity, innocence and joy.