5 Ways To Draw Closer To Your Kids

1. Celebrate Little Victories

Work it à la Victoria Beckham, who spares no effort in celebrating her kids’ achievements whether big or small. From Harper’s ‘Excellent Reading’ sticker, to Romeo’s sportsmanship at a tennis session and Cruz’s singing chops – VB makes sure to tell the world how much love and pride she feels, complete with the hashtag #proudmummy.

(Photo: @victoriabeckham)

2. Make The ‘BGR’ Talk Relatable

How many times have you tried to broach the topic with the best of intentions, but ended up clearing your throat or changing topics abruptly? Here’s how one mum does it: “I'll use the TV scenarios to talk about BGR, like if a character was an ideal partner or not, according to the traits shown in the programme."

(Photo: Giphy)

3. Learn Their Lingo

More than knowing how they think, the next step is in learning how they speak and they’ll be more likely to respond positively to the things you have to say. Casually fit in words such as ‘jelly’ (jealous), ‘YOLO’ (you only live once) or YOYO (you are only young once), and ‘cray’ (crazy) into your conversations, and their friends might even say that your “Cool Mum Game’s Strong” (another youth lingo).

4. Remember To Praise

5. Be Their Listening Ear

When a kid comes to you and shares their problem, the tendency to quickly swoop in like a mother hen to rescue the day is very strong. Before you do that, check if they are replying with ‘Yes, but…’ or ‘What if…’ – these tell you that they weren’t asking for a solution; they were looking for a listening ear. Be the parent that takes time to listen and quietly influences, because if you don't, outsiders will.