Are not satisfied with the way things are in your family?

Here are some secrets to a successful relationship between parents and children:

1. Start right for a firm foundation. The closeness of the parent-child connection throughout life results from how much parents connect with their babies, right from the beginning and as time goes by continuing working on creating a closer bond.

2. Remember that all relationships take work. Good parent-child connections don’t spring out of nowhere, any more than good marriages do. And without a doubt both sides have to do their fair share in nurturing the relationship, as they equally have an impact on it.

3. Prioritize time with your child/parents. In relationships, without quantity, there’s no quality. So as hard as it is with the pressures of job, studying and daily life, if we want our relationships to look up, we have to sacrifice something, free up the time to make that happen.

4. Start with trust, the foundation of every good relationship. 

Trust means not giving up on each other, no matter what he or she does. Trust means never walking away from the relationship in frustration, because you trust that she needs you and that you will find a way to work things out. It also means confiding in each other and keeping your channels of communication open at all times.

5. Encourage, Encourage, Encourage.  It’s not a good idea to criticize each other or keep nagging, we should understand that it’s normal to go through ups and downs together. What is more, children do need their parent’s encouragement to see themselves as good people who are capable of good things. And they need to know that parents are on their side and ready to stick up for them, regardless of what happens.

6. Remember that respect must be mutual.  Parents can still set limits (for instance, by laying down rules), but if they do it respectfully and with empathy, they’ll even become  role-models: children will learn both to treat others with respect and to expect to be treated respectfully themselves.

7. Don’t let little rifts build up.  If something’s wrong between you, be tough enough to find a way to bring it up and work it through positively. Choosing to withdraw is ALWAYS a mistake. Every difficulty is an opportunity to get closer or create distance.