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14
Ways to Show Love for Your Child This Valentine's Day
The
following are Valentine's Day tips from the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP). Please feel free to excerpt these tips or use them
in their entirety for any print or broadcast story with appropriate
attribution of source.
Use plenty of
positive words with your child. Try to avoid using sarcasm with your
child. They often don’t understand it, and if they do, it creates a
negative interaction.
Respond promptly
and lovingly to your child's physical and emotional needs and banish
put-downs from your parenting vocabulary.
Make an extra
effort to set a good example at home and in public. Use words like "I'm
sorry," "please," and "thank you."
When your child
is angry, argumentative or in a bad mood, give him a hug, cuddle, pat,
secret sign or other gesture of affection he favors and talk with him
about his feelings.
Use non-violent
forms of discipline. Parents should institute both rewards and
restrictions many years before adolescence to help prevent trouble
during the teenage years. Allowing children of any age to constantly
break important rules without being disciplined only encourages more
rule violations.
Make plans to
spend time alone with your young child or teen doing something she
enjoys.
Mark family game
nights on your calendar so the entire family can be together. Put a
different family member's name under each date, and have that person
choose which game will be played that evening.
Owning a pet can
make children, especially those with chronic illnesses and disabilities,
feel better by stimulating physical activity, enhancing their overall
attitude, and offering constant companionship.
One of the best
ways to familiarize your child with good food choices is to encourage
him to cook with you. Let him get involved in the entire process, from
planning the menus to shopping for ingredients to the actual food
preparation and its serving.
As your child
grows up, she'll spend most of her time developing and refining a
variety of skills and abilities in all areas of her life. You should
help her as much as possible by encouraging her and providing the
equipment and instruction she needs.
Your child's
health depends significantly on the care and guidance you offer during
his early years. By taking your child to the doctor regularly for
consultations, keeping him safe from accidents, providing a nutritious
diet, and encouraging exercise throughout childhood, you help protect
and strengthen his body.
Help your child
foster positive relationships with friends, siblings and members of the
community.
One of your most
important gifts as a parent is to help your child develop self-esteem.
Your child needs your steady support and encouragement to discover his
strengths. He needs you to believe in him as he learns to believe in
himself. Loving him, spending time with him, listening to him and
praising his accomplishments are all part of this process.
Don't forget to
say, "I love you" to children of all ages!
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