Developing the Relationship With Your Child

As a loving father, you will want to ensure that your child/children grow up in a happy, secure and nurturing environment. You will also hope that your dependents are able to enjoy loving and supportive relationships. Accepting that your child’s needs change as they grow and mature will enable you to acknowledge the importance of the role you play, and how you can adapt your relationship so that communication is always open.

Communicating With Your Child

Communicating with a toddler is very different to communicating with a pre-teen. Successful parenting means being aware of all the restrictions, limitations and challenges that communicating with any age group can create. In order to grow a relationship, it is important to acknowledge the ways in which you naturally communicate. This means accepting your weaknesses and strengths as a communicator, and working at improving relationships that you find challenging and/or difficult.

Although the time you physically spend in the company of your child may be limited or restricted, it does not mean that a good level of communication cannot be maintained. Understanding and accepting your relationship, for the way it is and how it works, will help you continue to communicate in positive ways.

Examining Interaction

Examining the relationship you have with your dependents will enable you to identify ways of making positive adjustments that will help you grow your relationship naturally. Acknowledging the way in which you interact with each other will help you accept the changes you experience in communication. For instance, are you able to talk openly? Is your relationship strained or argumentative? Do you get a sense that attentive listening takes place?

Be honest with yourself when it comes to examining the ways in which you Communicate With Your Child. If you are not able to give your child your full attention, do not expect them to be as attentive as you would like. Set an example of the kind of communication behaviour you would like to share and demonstrate through your own behaviour.

Creating a Smooth Transition

Maintaining a happy relationship can sometimes prove challenging, even for the most confident and competent of parents. Through growing, your child will look to you for guidance, encouragement and financial support, and at times you may feel this is very much a one-sided exchange. Mood swings, non-communication and tantrums may be all you receive in return, but as a parent you will have to accept certain behaviour traits and struggles, and be willing to forgive, in order to grow your relationship.

A smooth transition can only be created by allowing your dependents to establish identity, find balance and overcome social pressure to fit in. Being continually supportive and encouraging will enable your child to find their footing in the world, and will help reinforce the loving relationship roots you have been nurturing and growing.

Try to maintain a good level of open communication with your child’s mother. This will set a good example to your child and encourage the flow of communication between households. For more information, read How to Improve Relations With Your Child's Mother on this site.

Check out the Separated Dads Forum... It's a great resource where you can ask for advice on topics including Child Access, Maintenance, CAFCASS, Fathers Rights, Court, Behaviour or simply to have a chat with other dads.