6. Play is powerful when it comes to connection. Chase them around the yard, run through sprinklers, have a dance party, or dress up and act out a book. Children long for this kind of active play and laughter with you, and it's a surefire way to build connection fast.
7. Make loving rituals a part of your day. Most people think of bedtime for this, and that is a wonderful time to connect, but there are other options as well. From making breakfast together every morning to putting jokes or notes in your child's lunchbox, there are little opportunities all throughout the day to convey the important message of I love you. You matter.
8. Tell them family stories and stories from your childhood. Kids love to hear what it was like when you were little and this also helps them to get to know you better. They start to understand that you're not just mom or dad but a person with a history and a story, and this brings closer connection.
9. Start a journal with your child. Write back and forth to each other regularly. This opens the opportunity for her to tell you things she might not want to say face-to-face as well being a kind of memoir of her childhood and something she will cherish as an adult.
10. Always reach out and reconnect after a rift. If you've yelled or been rude, own up to your mistake and apologize. Don't allow bad feelings to fester. Find ways to work through your problems as positively as possible.
