Secure attachment is a key part of your child's developments. Thanks to him, we will be able to have more emotionally balanced and happier children, which is, after all, what all parents want. We leave you some tips to know how to develop secure attachment in children.
What is secure attachment?
The relationship that the child has with his main caregiver will affect his entire development. Determine your mental, physical, intellectual, emotional and social health of the child. For it to be the best it can be, there must be a secure bond between the two.
El secure attachment should provide the child with a sense of security from which to investigate the world and learn, understanding and trust in himself to be able to do it, and empathy towards the feelings of others. Where your emotional needs are covered, in addition to your physical ones.
On the opposite side would be the insecure attachment, where children experience restlessness and insecurity, which affects their development and their knowledge of the world. They turn fearful, restless children with low self-esteem.
It is never too late to develop a secure attachment. Obviously the sooner it develops the results will be better, but it does not have to be with a baby. The brain does not mature until well into adolescence.
How to develop secure attachment in children?
The secure attachment bond it has nothing to do with love. We leave you some tips to achieve a safe bond with our children:
Promote their autonomy
Human beings are curious by nature, and from the moment we are born we try to explore the world around us. A baby who feels secure will explore his world little by little, first by crawling, then with little steps, and then by walking. If we promote their autonomy, the child will gain maturity and self-esteem. To get it don't give it all done, let it unfold itself, encourage him to be autonomous and congratulate him on his achievements. You will gain confidence in yourself.
Give them security of protection and safety
It is essential for your secure attachment, for you to investigate the world from the security provided by your closest environment. This requires creating a foundation of security and trust. Accompany him when he asks, make yourself available to him, let him know that you are there when he needs you.
Responds to both your physical and emotional needs
Once the emotion that the child has is identified, we must cover their emotional needs. That is why it is so important to listen to them and name their emotions. So we can act better, listening and seeing how it feels, and responding accordingly.
Take their opinions into account
You can include him in decision-making, give you his opinion and take it into account. They can be small as you choose the movie you want to see or more important decisions that concern the family. It does not mean that you have to do what he or she says, but that you feel heard and that you know that your opinion is also taken into account.
Encourage communication
Is basic pillar for the secure attachment bond. Without good verbal and non-verbal communication, there would be no secure attachment. It is necessary to speak, listen and that there is fluid communication between both directions.
Give him little responsibilities
Giving them chores at home will make them more responsible and autonomous. In addition to that they will learn the value of doing things and it will serve them in adulthood so that you know how to fend for themselves. Do not miss the article how to teach your children to collaborate at home.
Respect their emotions
He will have bad days like everyone else, listen to him and let him express his emotions. If you are angry, if you are sad, they are legitimate emotions, you have the right to feel and express them correctly. Denying them or looking away will make you uncomfortable with negative emotions and you will not know how to handle them in the future.
Encourage their empowerment
Your self-esteem is essential for your proper development, it is one of the greatest predictors of happiness. We leave you an article with 14 children's stories to empower children.
Be consistent
If you have a changing character with the child as the air blows at you, the child will see it as something uncontrollable, and will create a lot of insecurity. If you have a bad day or a bad time, you can take a moment away from the situation, take a few deep breaths and come back when you are calmer or calm. This way we will not create anxiety in children.
Why remember ... it is the best guarantee for a healthy and happy life.