Parent Child Relationships: Building Trust and Respect

Every day provides us with opportunities to relate in multiple ways with family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances and strangers. However, not all relationships are as effective as they could be. It all depends on how much effort, thought and time we put into the how and what of our relationships. Healthy relationships are particularly meaningful within the home. They help build mutual respect and trust which are key ingredients for strong family ties. Positive parent child relationships have open communications, resolve conflicts, and affirm unconditional love - building mutual trust and respect with our children. So what are some key actions we can take as parents to build these positive relationships?

Importance of Availability in Parent Child Relationships

One of the key actions we can do as parents is to make sure we're available to our children. No matter how busy life feels, it's important to set aside time to be with and talk them. Switch off the television, put your phone away, and avoid multi-tasking. Let your child know that they have your full attention and are present with them. Be an active listener so that your child recognizes that you care for and value their thoughts and feelings.  These moments go a long way towards building a strong relationship.

Honesty and Transparency

When you consistently demonstrate a genuine openness in your interactions and communications with your children, you increase their confidence and trust in you. Even though you are the adult and are expected to have the answers, it's okay to admit a lack of knowledge on a particular question. Let your child know that you that you can figure it out together. Children are innately sensitive and often pick out from your body language when you aren’t being truthful. However, as long as they know they can depend on whatever you say, you will be building a powerful bond with them.

Dependability

Children look to you for dependability and reliability. These two cornerstones of any healthy relationship are especially important for children. They lay the foundation for children to feel comfortable exploring the world because they know you are there for them. Knowing that they can depend on you means that they can trust you. And when your actions align with your words, children can rely on you to be honest and respectful with them.

Acknowledging Error

It is not always easy to acknowledge that you are wrong but doing so goes a long way in building trust and respect. Accepting your error will not make your child lose respect for you or perceive you as weak. Instead, it will make it easier for your child to approach you when they make a mistake themselves. You will be teaching your child that mistakes do happen in life and that what’s important is to acknowledge the mistake and learn from it.

Bark can help you build respectful and trusting parent child relationships while still monitoring their devices for online issues. Bark only alerts parents to potential issues and does not share all of a child's messages, allowing the child privacy for all of the mundane non problematic conversations they have with their friends.