Читать книгу Cathy Glass 3-Book Self-Help Collection - Cathy Glass, Cathy Glass - Страница 72

The pleasure of your child’s company may well have become lost along the way as you struggled with your child’s unacceptable behaviour. Now you are regaining control, and even though you are working through a very difficult two-week period, you should find time in each day to spend quality time with your child.

It needn’t be a huge amount of time, if you are very busy, but do something together each day. Spending fifteen minutes, one to one with your child, in a game of your child’s choosing will work wonders in cementing the bond between you and encouraging cooperation. This quality time is as important as the rules and boundaries you are putting in place, and in an ideal world you will have been spending quality time with your child since he or she was little. You can set aside quality time at the same time each day if it suits your routine, or simply spy the opportunity; but make sure you do it.

Let your child chose the activity, within reason, and get down to your child’s level, playing cars on the floor or modelling in dough – whatever your child has chosen. If your child chooses an impractical activity like going swimming when it’s nearly bedtime, then explain that that would be a good activity for the weekend and steer him or her towards a more practical choice. Helping your child with his or her homework or giving extra help with school work is also quality time, as you will be working together side by side in harmony, although it is additional quality time and should not replace the two of you having fun with a game. Spend the time with your child willingly and join in the game or activity your child has chosen wholeheartedly. It is important for your child to see that you are enjoying the activity and his or her company – that it is quality time for you too.