The “good contact”, seen as soft gestures and cuddling are an essential need that accompany all of us throughout our entire lifetime
There is however a temporal window, in childhood, in which the importance of this need is even stronger.
In this period a child’s brain is extremely pliable, meaning that it is capable of great structural changes according to the experiences it encounters. This is the reason why an embrace of a few seconds is capable of arousing in our children’s brain a series of chemical reactions that lead to e waterfall of beneficial effects, it arouses a feeling of wellbeing and security, decreases anxiety, strengthens immune defences, increases faith in others and contributes to the development of self esteem.
Cuddling and playing are therefore fundamental for the nourishment and support of the emotional relationship with our children. The children themselves often ask us to recharge their “empty emotional reservoir”, especially after a long day away from home and from mom and dad, with the traditional image identified by the Pedagogist and pedagogical trainer doctor Iaccarino.
It can sometimes happen that a child is nervous, angry and frustrated and often, hidden in what we usually call children’s tantrums, is a subtle request for attention and affection, the need for a recharge of the famous reservoir.
What are therefore the small gestures that an adult can make to fill the “ tank” with love and affection ?
One winning strategy is that of dedicating the first 10-15 minutes to your child as soon as you get home after a day out, sit together on the sofa, cuddle a little, read a book or play a game in a relaxed atmosphere, inside a defined time lapse.
Another winning strategy is that of involving your child in the household chores, asking him to help you with the house or with the cooking so that he will feel involved and actively participating in the care of the house. There hints are actually simple and generic input on which a parent can meditate and act; parents will then, according to their child’s age and on his/her own personality and personal beliefs, work out and adapt our suggestions to their personal family routine.
We are therefore glad to share an interesting chart, made by Percorsi Formativi 0-6 , that, referring to the ideal emotional reservoir, traces the fundamental ingredients to fill the “tank”” or “reservoir” whilst at the same time focusing on the factors that contribute, on the other hand, to the emptying of the emotional reservoir.
