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Resources on Parenting

The quality of the relationship that parents have with their children is critical to children’s well-being throughout their lives. Both parents and children contribute to the quality of the relationship. The research shows us that when parents experience more stress in their lives through financial problems, living in poor neighbourhoods, suffering because of mental health problems or marital conflict, it is harder for them to develop a good quality relationship with their children. But the research also shows us that the quality of the relationship is not all down to parents. Characteristics of children make it a lot harder for parents to develop that good relationship. When children cry and whine a lot, or get angry when very little has gone wrong, a parent’s job in building that relationship is much more challenging. Other aspects of children, such as their age, their ability to communicate and their birth order also make the parent’s job easier or harder.

Looking Through Your Baby's Eyes (pdf) New!

Excerpt: "It's 5pm, you just ran around all day doing groceries, taking your kids to play dates, making meals, and feeding your baby. Just as you sit down to rest, your newborn awakes from her nap and starts crying. You’re groggy and exhausted, but you don't think twice about picking up your baby and comforting her – most parents would. However, there is more to sensitive parenting than simply responding to your baby’s cries. Researchers have found that responding appropriately to a baby's signals is the key to forming a strong parent-child bond. This kind of relationship affects how children develop emotionally and cognitively throughout their lives."

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