Different parents have different ways to express love and care for their children. Some prefer showing love by preparing their child’s favorite dishes, while others may choose to surprise their kids with toys or something they like. While all these ways can strengthen your parent-child relationship, nothing compares to the effectiveness of appreciating your children.
This seemingly simple activity can help you in two ways. First, it can make your child feel valued and loved, thus boosting their self-worth and confidence. Second, it strengthens your ties with your kids, eventually creating a relationship driven by mutual respect and love. We at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, ranked among the top schools in Gurgaon, believe it is the most effective yet the most neglected way of boosting any parent-child relationship. Hence, if you are a parent looking for simple yet powerful ways to sweeten your relationship with your children, we recommend appreciating them more.
Today, in this blog post, we will highlight how this simple activity can entirely transform your relationship dynamics with your kids while supporting your child’s healthy growth and development.
Debunking Misconceptions Around Appreciation
Before diving further into the topic, we’d like to first clear some misconceptions around appreciation so you can better understand its nuances as a relationship-strengthening tool. Some parents believe that appreciation is only about expressing gratitude. In reality, it’s more about recognizing and acknowledging your child’s inherent worth, unique qualities, and efforts. We at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok have high regard for the power of appreciation because it enables parents to see their children for who they are, not just what they do or achieve.
When you start appreciating your kids more often, you’re psychologically fulfilling two basic human needs – the need to feel valued and the need to belong. It makes children feel happier while letting them stay in the present moment. We firmly believe it can help your kids develop a stronger sense of self-esteem, resilience, and self-awareness over time.
The Transformative Power of Appreciation
Since the act of appreciating is considered trivial by some, parents fail to understand its potential and impact. If you start appreciating your kids for their efforts, approach to handling things, navigating tricky situations, etc., regularly, you will begin noticing the following changes:
- Improved Self-Esteem and Confidence
Regularly appreciating your kids sends them a subconscious message that they’re valuable just as they are. It helps them develop a stronger sense of self-worth that isn’t dependent on external achievements. For example, if you consistently appreciate your kid’s problem-solving skills, they’ll feel more motivated to use and strengthen them.
- Ease of Holding Open Communication
It may be surprising, but regularly appreciating your kids can loosen up any blocks that were previously stopping them from holding open communication with you. Your frequent act of appreciation creates a safe space for them where they feel comfortable sharing their life’s experiences, thoughts, beliefs, etc., with you. It not only lets you know your kids better but also offers an opportunity to deepen your relationship with them.
- Increased Positive Behavior
We at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok have noticed that kids who are appreciated more tend to be more motivated than others. They even cooperate and contribute positively in their homes, which improves their bond with their parents. This matters because kids perform such activities as a way to reciprocate the positive feeling they experience because of frequent appreciations and not because of fear or a desire for a reward.
- A Serene Family Atmosphere
We’ve all heard that happiness is contagious, but so is appreciation. Once you develop a habit of appreciating your kids, they will eventually start modeling it. As a result, they will start appreciating their siblings, parents, and even peers, creating a serene and happy environment at home. You can notice that instances of fights or arguments, heated family environments, etc., will start reducing because of this simple act. If you have two or more kids, you can expect their relationship to get stronger as well.
Conclusion
Appreciating your kids can be difficult, especially if you aren’t expressive or cannot find the right words to frame your message. Fortunately, there are many ways to do it. If verbal appreciation isn’t your jam, take the help of non-verbal methods like hugging, a gentle pat on the back, smiling often during conversations, etc. You can also go the extra mile to express your appreciation by cooking their favorite meals, planning surprise outdoor activities, playing indoor games with them, or anything that makes you and your kids spend quality time together.
While appreciation is powerful, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the best schools in Gurgaon, would like to clarify that parents must balance appreciation with discipline and setting boundaries, especially for times when your kids are misbehaving. If you’re new to the art of appreciation, we recommend being patient throughout the journey. You may not get it right in the initial days, but you’ll eventually grasp it with repeated efforts.