Research on Healthy Child-Parent Attachment Strategies (Research Paper Sample)

Strategies of healthy Parent-Child Attachment
Name
Institution
Introduction
Healthy attachment between parents and children undoubtedly contribute to the positive wellbeing of children’s later life (Barlow, 2005). Every parent, in any part of the world, is happy to see their children grow to be responsible and successful people. This, however, is not a given, it is something that requires proper parenting. Conventionally, parenting is the ability to provide for the necessities of life to family members. The truth of the matter is far from the above point of view parenting involves the emotional upbringing of children. The process of parenting is now even more complicated as a result of increasing access to mass media and early attendance of school among children.
Thus, healthy attachment, which contributes a great deal to the wellbeing of children in their entire life, is a product of parenting. Since proper parenting is not obvious to everyone as it may seem, there is a need to highlight some of the strategies necessary to build healthy attachment between parents and children. This discussion will highlight some of the strategies from a clinical point of view. The strategies include spending more time with children, avoiding too much control, avoiding criticism, fostering positive values, attending relevant functions together, discussing openly about sexuality matters and assisting them to do school assignments (Ammaniti et al., 2006). The strategies, which this discussion will highlight, are not limited to the above mentioned.
Discussion
Healthy attachment between parents and children is the positive bond which exists between parents and children in their various aspects of life. At birth, the child and parent, specifically the mother develops an automatic bonding (Armstrong et al., 2000). Within a few months after birth, every child develops bonds with other people either the father or other people around where he or she is living. The bonding tends to change when child is able to walk or play around. This kind of change happens when the parents start controlling the behavior of the child, either through punishments or threats. It works in the short run, to correct unwanted behavior of the child, but it has tremendous consequences in the long run.
To ensure that positive healthy attachment between parents and children lasts, the parents need to spend a lot of time with their children. This is difficult in a situation where both parents work for long hours and the child have to be left with someone else. Despite this, the results of parents spending time with their children are of great benefit in fostering right upbringing. This is because; the child will not only have the opportunity to feel protected but also to learn what is wrong and right (Gowen & Nebrig, 2002). When parents are with their children, mistakes or unwanted behaviors can be corrected immediately before it becomes a habit. As a result, children appreciate the attention given by the parents, and which aligns their character from an early age to accepted codes of conducts.
Quite a number of literatures on building healthy attachments between parents and children points out to the errors of early corrections (Oppenhelm & Goldsmith, 2007). Correcting bad behavior at an early age good, yet caution needs to be exercised as it may lead to withdrawal of the children. Crude ways of correcting children tend to affect the self esteem of the child gradually. Constant correction through shouting or gaining the child makes him or her feel wrong about everything they do. In the long run, a child corrected through painful methods develops low self esteem, and which will affect his or her later life. Thus, there is a need to point out positive correction is good as it makes the children appreciate the correction without their self esteem being affected and increases the bonding between the parents and the children (Barlow, 2006).
The contemporary world is characterized by a number of things. The widespread use of information technology equipments, laptops, smart phones and other technologically advanced gadgets in homesteads has threatened the process of parenting. In many situations, parents especially the male parents who are not primarily involved in taking of the children have no time for their families (Greenspan & Brazelton, 2000). Either they are busy communicating in social media, completing their office work of browsing. This is a threat to proper parenting necessary for healthy attachment. Thus, parents of the current technology age need to control the usage of mobile phones and computers in the homestead so as to have time for their families.
Attending important functions such as church gatherings between parents and children is important in cultivating healthy attachments. This is because children get the opportunity to learn important values in life. As a result of developing the same values with the parents, remaining close, sharing, and learning together is inevitable. As a result, healthy attachment between parents and children remain strong (Oppenhelm & Goldsmith, 2007).
Discussion of sexuality between parents and children is often difficult. Some parents find it difficult to discuss sexuality matters with their children out fear of making them aware of it an early age. Research on sexuality suggests that, openly discussing sexuality matters between parents and children is fundamental in promoting children’s wellbeing. This also increases the attachment which children have towards their parents as they can talk to them openly without fear. As a result, children grow to be responsible people, who can interact with their peers positively (Barlow, 2006).
Clinical studies on healthy attachments between parents and children points out that learning are a continuous process among children. Parents who assist their children do school assignments not only foster a positive attitude towards education among children, but also forms a healthy relationship with their children. This is because, by assisting the children do their assignments right a feeling of the parent is right among children is developed, and as a result, children will take their parents as their role models (Oppenhelm & Goldsmith, 2007).
Conclusion
Apparently, healthy attachment between parents and children is important in fostering sustainable growth and wellbeing among chi...