During a family vacation, children tend to make up for the lack of attention of their parents, to literally feed on their love, explains psychologist Tatyana Bednik. Convinced of the reliability of your feelings, they will more easily turn to their studies and other people.
Vacation has begun. You dream of swimming at dawn, reading on the beach, having dinner together by candlelight… But your 3-5 year old treasure won’t let you go for a minute, demanding that you play with him, refuses to fall asleep and breaks all your plans. Annoyance of parents only provokes new whims. Why doesn’t he want to leave you? Of course, a change in environment, regime, climate, habitual nutrition affects – after all, children are slower than adults to adapt to new conditions. It will take at least three days for the child to be convinced of the safety of the new place and agree to stay in the company of peers or in a kids club with an animator. Tell him on the first day (or better, in advance) about the recreation program, about what he can do himself, while mom will swim in the pool, and dad will play volleyball. The more aware children are of what awaits them, the faster they will adapt to the new environment.
We often forget that a child also has his own “plans” for a vacation, the main one of which is to finally communicate and be close to his parents, who are so far away from him during the rest of the year! And therefore, there is no need to invent anything special – just let him feel your love. Find time for games, jokes, walks and conversations – only with him. A child demands (too) a lot of attention if he doesn’t get what he needs. When he is “filled” with your love, he will become more confident and will gladly turn to other activities and other people. When planning a vacation with a child, tune in to a family vacation. Surviving a storm for the first time or seeing a bat and sharing your impressions with loved ones is perhaps the greatest happiness for a child. And one of the most memorable childhood events. If you want to relax together with a partner, then it’s more honest to leave the child for a week to a grandmother, a nanny and devote this time only to yourself.
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«Me, you, our child – we grow up together” Madeleine Rosenblum
The book of a child psychotherapist describes dozens of recognizable life situations, each of which provides explanations, recommendations and useful exercises for parents. They will help build relationships with children, from birth to school (CheRo, KDU, 2007).