Post-Pandemic Parenting: 4 Full-Proof Ways to “Connect” with Your Child…LOVE!

Connectivity is a vital part of our culture and our lives. We know about digital connection, but what does it mean to “connect” in relationships. In the field of psychology, “connection” can be thought of in several different aspects of human life. There is “social connection” which meets our need for love and belonging, “emotional connection,” which meets our need for empathy and understanding, and “cognitive connection,” or information sharing, which meets our need for intellectual stimulation. Humans need all three types of connections to thrive and maintain health and wellness. And children have a primary need for connection to not only thrive, but to survive!

The onset of the global pandemic has disrupted our ability to connect! For children, this “connection” is vital to their survival and ability to thrive. From psychological theories to recent research, there is significant evidence that social support and feeling connected can help people maintain a healthy body mass index, control blood sugars, improve cancer survival, decrease cardiovascular mortality, decrease depressive symptoms, mitigate posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and improve overall mental health. The opposite of connection, social isolation, has a negative effect on health (Holt-Lunstad et. al., 2010). Connection is vital to all…