加強親子關係的暑期活動

Summer is approaching. It seems that it is important for parents to arrange different activities to do with children during the summer time. While many would plan for an overseas trip(s), some parents may try to take the time to nourish their parent-child bond. But what sorts of activities, especially for summer, would serve that purpose? Does it have to be specific types of activities? Or a specially arranged plan that gives children an element of surprise?

According to parent-child psychology theory, all of the above may seem to be a camouflage for increasing parent-child bonding. When adult children are asked to recall “the positive memories” or a “parent-child bonding” memory from childhood, many would recall something “trivial” as well as “repetitive” like a specific dinner that the family had on every Sunday after church, or a travel location that the family visited every year.

To children, it is more about how their parents react or interact with them during the event rather than the event/location itself that makes it a special parent-child-bonding activity. When parents are able to give different elements for the same activity repeatedly throughout a period of time during childhood, this creates “the special childhood memory”. For example, playing UNO with funny made-up rules after dinner every Friday or when away for a trip; singing a goofy made-up song with movements during the car-ride to grandma’s house every Saturday; or having a pizza Thursday etc. More specifically, parents can also provide various sensory stimulation during an event (say adding background music, a lighted scent candle, and the use of a special set of utensils for dining). This would further anchor the positive parent-child bond.