Effective Ways to Bond With Your Child

Written by Elizabeth Kane for Authentic Parenting.

Is it just me, or does bonding always seem too romanticized for real life? We see it in the movies all the time. Kids and parents are smiling at each other in the perfect light. Everyone’s impeccably dressed, saying all the right things at the right time. And parental wisdom is exchanged in that perfect moment, right as the music chimes in. Cue the camera fade out!

But I don’t think that’s how real bonding happens – where you make the kind of memories your child will never forget and the ones you’ll look back on with a smile. True bonding happens in the small moments throughout the day, where the love, laughter, and messes live, nestled inside our hurried lives. And the good news? It doesn’t require any perfect lighting, clean clothes, or homemade cookies. In fact, you can start right now. Here are 9 ways to begin – no scripted laughter required.
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