It begins with unconditional love and genuine connections.  Everybody wants to belong to a group that loves them, protects them, and encourages them.  Our families should be the best answer for that.

Our ultimate goal here is children who know they can depend on us and our love for them no matter what.

That requires a connection with our children that is genuine and real.  We need to make sure our children feel loved and valued.  We also need to make sure that becomes a permanent part of their identities: I am valuable.  I am lovable.

Doing this for our children is one of the greatest win-win situations in all of parenting.  Loving our children is not only the right thing to do, it is the most necessary and practical thing to do.

How our children see themselves and the world is directly affected by the love they receive from us. Children who feel loved and acknowledged tend to respond to discipline and life in general in a much more accepting and positive manner.  They tend to have better mental, emotional, and spiritual health.  They tend to do significantly better in all categories of life.

On the other hand, if our children's need for love and belonging are not met appropriately there will always be problems.  Children who feel unloved tend to resist and resent discipline.  They tend to act out or become withdrawn.  Developing and maturing in a positive and healthy manner is more of a struggle. Research reveals even brain development is affected negatively.  The list goes on and on.

That is why we need to find ways to connect with our children that work.  Getting our parent/child relationships right makes everything better! Everything becomes easier and much more pleasant.