Over the past few months, we've been hearing a lot of concern from parents about how our current situation of physical distancing might impact babies/young children and their ability to connect and socialize with others. Rest assured, the old adage “it takes a village” still holds true, but the single largest influence on developing positive relationships with others begins and ends with a baby's parents, especially in the first three or four years of their life.

Remember you already are the best parent for your little bubs!

Today we wanted to share some the simple things (many of which you may  already be doing) that help to build strong bonds and social skills with your little ones.

💟 Tuning into your baby's needs and responding to them helps to create feelings of safety and security. You do this everyday when you talk to and engage with them. Simple gestures, like smiling as you greet them when they wake up or rubbing their backs when they are tired, give them tons of non-verbal feedback that they are loved. 

💟 Routine and predictability also help babies and toddlers feel secure in their environment because they provide structure and order. Nap times, meal times and bedtime stories are simple routines that shape their day. Offering their favourite toy or singing a lullaby that soothes them also increases their security. For instance, when your toddler is looking for their favourite stuffy at bedtime and you trudge down the stairs to find it for them, just so they can go to sleep, you're demonstrating your love and security for them.

💟 Through daily interactions, our children learn how to explore and understand where and how they fit in the world. Research in the field of childhood development confirms that the best way to develop and nurture these bonds is through interactive play.

💟 Narrating your day, playing games of peek-a-boo, singing, dancing, laughing and reading stories together are simple ways to connect with younger babies and toddlers. As your children get older, playing games (like Candyland) can teach them about taking turns and dealing with unexpected outcomes.  

💟 Getting down on the floor and playing at your child's level, exploring puddles, leaves and rocks (and being very interested in said leaves and rocks) helps your little one feel special and important. 

💟 Encouraging words help to build your child's confidence, allowing them to explore, experiment and make mistakes.  

💟 All of the time spent listening, talking and playing with you helps your little one develop important life skills, such as thinking and problem solving, movement and how to behave with other people. Each time you interact with your littles you also strengthen your bond and deepen your relationship. 

💟 Having regular meals together, sharing and laughing at the communal table continues to build the parental bond for families with older children and teens. Being interested in our kids passions or interests and learning about them allows us to stay connected and in tune with them as they grow.  I have been an expert in Marvel Superhero's, dinosaurs and Video Games.  These days I am learning about Skateboarding and spend hours watching Ben  & Jakob attempt crazy tricks! We fell out of synch with family dinners for a few years when the boys were little and FITMOM Durham was in it's infant years.  Mark and I would eat at different times and would pass the parenting torch as he ran in the door and I ran out the door.  Rejigging the schedule and ensuring we had at least 4 dinners a week together shifted how we interacted as a family.  It helped us to prioritize each other and gave us all the opportunity to connect and share our day. The routine of doing this over the years helped the boys understand and learn the appropriate way to conduct themselves during a meal (most of the time) as we are able to model good behaviour for them.

Although it's a common worry that this pandemic may have a negative affect on our children's ability to connect and socialize with others, rest assured, that the time you are spending with your family now will help them thrive when we are all together again. 

So, just in case you didn't know… You've got this and you're doing a tremendous job, Mama!