It’s February, the month of love, when we celebrate valentine. As in the last article, family is truly where love starts from. A person cannot give what he or she does not have as such, even as family is the first agent of socialization, it is also the first place where a person learns what love means. Right from birth, the attachment a child has with the mother is very crucial in the formation of interpersonal relationships with others in future. There is really nothing like the love between a mother and a new born infant. Such love is revealed in touch, stares, caring, sucking and feeding. While these activities go on, the child may either learn to trust or mistrust the care giver. Babies of responsive mothers develop trust while babies of unresponsive mothers may develop mistrust.
This may seem like a whole lot of psychology, but research shows that attachment in childhood influences personality and interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Just like a newborn infant seeks attention, we older “babies” are no different. Love thrives on attention. The amount of time you spend with your loved one be it your friend, spouse or family member determines the quality of such a relationship.
The best inheritance a parent can give to his children is a few minutes of their time each day– M. Grundler
Extending love to the younger generation contributes a lot to our own fulfillment as adults. Extending your attention, care, love, time and resources to your child or another leaves a lasting impact on that life which may culminate into eventual success.
The mother-child love is so strong that it comes with a lot of benefits. An enormous amount of literature and research have highlighted some of the following as benefits of a secure and strong bonding between a mother and a child.. You would love this:
- Children grow up to become sociable with good interpersonal skills and less aggressive behaviors.
- Strong bond determines whether a child develops a stable romantic relationship later in life.
- Exposure to less stress occurring as a result of consistent responses to your child’s cries and frustrations optimizes brain development. On the other hand, high levels of stress may result in irreversible brain damage.
- Children with a securely attached parenting are able to control their emotions.
- They have a positive self-concept and high self esteem.
- As adults, they are able to make positive assumptions about others as such they have better relationships.
- When relating with others, they engage in more helping behaviors such as showing gratitude, appreciation, care, comfort, and volunteering.
The above mentioned can only be made possible through a responsive parenting and bond between a caregiver and a child. The reverse is usually the case when parents are absent, negligent or abusive.
One way you can be more responsive to your child’s needs is by monitoring your child’s progress.
As the cell is to the body, so is the family to the society. You can learn more tips on parenting by following @drmorayojimoh on twitter.
