Involved Parenting Builds Enduring Connections

When parents take time off to relax and recharge, kids learn that taking care of themselves is important. Puff says modeling plays a critical role in raising healthy kids: If parents work through weekends and vacations and are constantly stressed out and on their cellphones, kids are likely to follow their example. 

“It’s not what we tell them to do,” says Puff. “It’s what we do.”  

Spending quality time together is like glue that creates a lasting bond between parents and kids. In the last decade, a number of studies have shown that kids who regularly spend time with their parents do better in school, have fewer behavioral problems, experience less emotional distress and are less likely to engage in violent behavior.

“The essence of connection is that kids feel listened to; they feel like they matter; they feel like the adult genuinely adores them. And you don’t have to wait for summer vacation to have those moments. They can happen during dinner; they can happen in a walk in a park; they can happen in a car drive,” says Ginsburg. “When you’re talking about building resilience in kids, meaning making it so that kids can overcome challenges and thrive, there is absolutely nothing more important than a loving, reliable connection with parents.”

To read more about the power of family connection add the Reboot and Reconnect issue to your MASK Library