Family outing, an essential element to strengthen the bond with the children
The link of a family is that invisible thread that unites all the members of a household. Even if you do not see it, you feel it, and that's why it's worth working on it day after day through various activities. At this point it should be noted that outdoor practices fulfill an important mission in strengthening these relationships among relatives.
This is indicated by the study of University of Illinois where it has been investigated how outdoor activities help the members of a household to strengthen the link that unites them. Practices as simple as walking in the company of children makes this link take hold and trust between the different members of a domestic nucleus takes hold.
Increased attention
What does the outdoors have that strengthens the bond between family members? It's simple, it increases the Attention of the participants. In the absence of elements such as televisions, radios and other stimuli, the members of these groups attend to what other people tell them. In this way, those who participate in walks through parks or hiking routes really listen to their interlocutors.
This is what other studies have shown. In this case, the researchers from the University of Illinois wanted to verify the application of this thesis to the members of a family. On the other hand, the authors also started from the hypothesis that outdoor environments relax tensions and make people calmer, providing a more conducive environment for dialogue.
To analyze this theory, he gathered 27 groups conformed by parents, mothers and children between 10 and 12 years old. All these families were questioned after making them walk together for 20 minutes in an open space and another walk of equal time in a shopping center. The results that the first case had contributed to that the members of these nuclei could have connected.
"If you think about your environments everydayNot only is he at work, but the mobile phone is always ringing, and he is always receiving emails. With all these stimuli in our everyday environments, our attention is more focused than we think ", explains Dina Izenstark, the main author of this research.
Keys to connect with children
Not only group trips help to strengthen the bond between parents and children. Also in daily relationships this union can be strengthened through attitudes like the following:
- Effective communication is one of the keys to improving the connection with children. We must not forget that one of the most important parts of communication is listening. Often, adults just talk and hardly listen to them. It is very important that communication follows this double track and that children feel heard. In this way we show them that their opinion matters to us and we move away from the role of authoritarian figure who limits himself to imposing norms. It is not about letting them talk, but about listening to them and paying attention to what they tell us.
- Intering for your things. If you want to connect with them, it is very important that you pay attention to their interests, that you understand how important they are to them. Respecting those interests and sharing them with them will somehow help us to improve our connection with them.
- Share interests with them. Often, we take children away from our passions and hobbies. It is not a question of forcing them to create common spaces for the connection. Try to share your interests with them, you will create very special moments of bond.
- Respect their space and understand that they do not always want to be with you. Do not use guilt to force them to be or do things with you.
Damián Montero
