Creating the Home Environment That Your Child Needs

July 13, 2020 | by kevin gardner, guest contributor

As parents, we play a pivotal role in the environment that our children are raised in. It is our responsibility to shape these conditions so that our children feel safe, loved, and comforted. While we cannot control every factor, there is a lot that we can do to influence their lifestyle and upbringing. Consider these key factors in creating a space conducive to your child’s development, safety, and growth.

Their Future

When we think about creating a safe and stable environment for our kids to grow up in, we often consider their immediate self and more current risks. It is important to note their future as well. This means supporting the health of our planet so that there is a stable world for when they are grown. By opting for sustainable energy sources, we can reduce our impact on the planet. The solar panel cost is well worth it when you consider the importance of securing a future for our children.

Showing Affection

While every family has their own way of showing affection, showing love openly and frequently can help your child. Even if this is not the type of home environment that you grew up in, learning to show and express love to your child is a wonderful lesson to teach them. By modeling the how-to’s of showing affection and what healthy relationships look and sound like, you can teach them this key lesson early.

Lessons About Boundaries and Consent

Boundaries are an essential lesson that we all must learn in our lives, and kids need limits and clear expectations to help them navigate in the world. Conversations on boundaries and consent need to start early – adapting to age-appropriate levels – and are ongoing. By allowing them to dictate their comfort level when it comes to their bodies, like who they show physical affection to, how they interact with others and allowing them to make their own decisions, you can teach them a vital lesson early on regarding their authority over both their body and emotional well-being.

Communing as a Family

Spending quality time together as a family is a crucial component of creating a healthy and happy home. Reduce distractions by putting down your phone and just listening to one another. This can solidify relationships and model how to build healthy connections. While reducing distractions can be hard in a world full of notifications and instantaneous communication, developing guards around times like bedtimes and mealtimes communicates to your child their importance in your life.

Healthy Relationships with Food

Children often learn their habits around food by observing the adults in their lives. Encouraging your child to create their own relationship healthily with food can help them avoid issues around eating and dieting down the road. It is important to discuss how food fuels; however, it is not useful to negatively talk about body images, bad foods, and diets, as this can warp your child’s idea of their body and its relationship to food.

Developing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence in kids begins to develop at an age much younger than many parents realize; however, these skills also need to be taught. You can help your child start to build these muscles by teaching them how to discuss their feelings, validating them and modeling how to process thoughts and feelings. If your child is experiencing troubles or even joy, don’t dismiss that but instead, give words to the emotions they are experiencing.

Joy and Laughter

You must take time to experience delight, comfort, and laughter with your children. There is so much that can happen when you experience happiness as a family, strengthening your bond. Remember that one of the most important parts of a house is the wondrous moments of sheer joy when you are together.

Helping your kiddos learn how to healthily navigate this world is a task that many parents struggle with, but there is so much that you can do at home to support this. Establishing a household that can sustain the many needs of your children is a complicated process; however, it is surely doable. By taking the time to be intentional with your words, actions and lessons, you can help create a space that allows your child to truly thrive.

Guest Writers

Kevin Gardner graduated with a BS in Computer Science and an MBA from UCLA. He works as a business consultant for InnovateBTS. As busy as he is with his career, Kevin has made his family a priority and has found creative ways to give them the time they deserve. Whenever possible, he writes about his experiences and shares them to help others. 

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