The way you start and end your child’s day is extremely important because if the day is started and ended properly, the time in between will go much better.
In almost every case, new mothers and fathers respond to their baby in a gentle and loving way. They talk, sing and coo while they prepare the baby for bed. They cuddle it until it goes to sleep, and then they gently lay it in its bed.
Unfortunately, over the years, things have a tendency to change. Children are hurried off to bed between television commercials. They are awakened by parents banging on the door, screaming, “Get up right now! We can’t be late again today!” Then they’re hustled to grab a quick bite to eat, rushed into the car and away they go for the day!
Suggestion: Gently tap on your child’s door, go in and sit on the bedside, stroke your child’s head and softly kiss their forehead. Tell them you love them and that it’s going to be a beautiful day for them and for you. That evening, 30 minutes before bedtime, remind your child to brush their teeth, call about the homework assignment, put the cat out, bring the bicycle in, get both drinks of water and take all three trips to the bathroom.
At bedtime, take your child by the hand, lead them back to the bed, tuck them in, then chat with them for a while. For a child, love is spelled T – I – M – E, and your child is more likely to open up and reveal his/her heart just before they go to sleep than at any other time of the day. Ten to fifteen minutes can make a big difference in the bonding process with your child by giving them that precious assurance that they are deeply loved, that you have time for them and they are more important than ten more minutes of television.
Try this approach and I’ll SEE YOU and your child AT THE TOP!
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Zig Ziglar was a motivational speaker and author. His work continues to inspire people all over the world to pursue success and go for their dreams. Learn more about him at www.ziglar.com
-what was the most important lesson you got from the article above?