When you become a parent, you are signing up for a long and bumpy journey. One important part of that journey is the needs, health and development of your children. You must take proactive steps to support your child’s development, so you can help them build a solid sense of self and future for themselves.
When you pay attention to your children, work with them, get curious about them, understand and meet their needs and support them in various ways, you will support them in thriving and reaching their potential.
Supporting them will help to create a secure environment, where they can develop good emotional and social skills, manage their emotions and build healthy relationships. Their health and well-being will be greatly impacted by the type and level of support they receive from a young age. Not only would you have supported their success in life, but also met their basic needs for wellness, such as good nutrition, exercise and a loving family home.
Many people think that supporting your child’s development is about pushing them to be smart. However, this is far from the truth. There are some vital components, such as wellbeing, safety and security, that also need to be considered and will greatly impact their development. When you invest in their development nice and early, you are investing in their future.
Children who get the right support have a better chance of contributing to society, belonging to a community and leading a happier, more fulfilling life.
To help you on this long and challenging journey, here are some important things to consider when supporting your child’s development.
#1 Create safety in the home
You have likely already set your home up to be physically safe, with the reduction of hazards and the like. However, to support your child’s development, it is vital that you also create an emotionally safe home. This means being regulated and taking care of yourself, having consistent routines, setting boundaries, fostering open communication, validating your children, and more.
#2 Build strong relationships
Strong relationships can go a long way in your child’s development. It will help them learn how to respect others, communicate and belong. Show up consistently for your children, practice different methods of communication and take time to nurture the relationship you have with them. Stay open, get curious about them and their interests, and do activities together, such as games.
#3 Make play a priority
Prioritising play at home is significant in their development. Many people will limit play in favour of educational activities; however, children need to be able to play, have fun and get curious about things. Playing will strengthen cognitive development, social and emotional development, physical development, help with stress, build resilience and more.
#4 Seek support for more complex needs
Supporting your child’s development also means knowing when to seek outside support. For example, if your child has a disability, there may be additional needs or support required to help them lead a more independent and happy life. NDIS Support Coordination can be extremely helpful on this journey.
Supporting your child’s development means approaching it from different angles. Follow these top tips to help you get started.
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