A child's most important developmental influence is an 
effect of its relationship with its family. The child starts
to bond from the moment of birth with those who are the 
primary caregivers, whether that be the parents or a nanny 
or a relative. Nurturing that connecting bond is necessary 
for the child to feel safe and for it to develop successful 
habits.

Dictionaries define relationships as a basic connection. 
This connection could be created by blood (such as children)
or by marriage, or by close friendships. Today's lifestyles 
include many opportunities for children to bond with others 
outside their immediate family, such as in daycare centers, 
extended families, or in foster homes. This is actually a 
tremendous advantage for the child, because as it develops 
through the teen years and into adulthood it will have to 
interact with many types of people. Although not everyone 
develops deep relationships with their business associates 
or co-workers, the ability to interact well with them is an 
indication of what they've gained from their early bonding 
experiences.

Time together is a precious commodity for a family and is 
crucial for a growing child. Without time together people 
cannot develop healthy relationships. In our modern day, 
time is squeezed to the utmost, filled with important 
activities. Yet, relationships are the most important aspect
of our lives and deserve to have quality time allowed for 
them. Many families watch television together or participate
in other passive activities. While this is ok, it's not 
quite the same as activities where everyone is interacting 
with each other. Activities that are appropriate for each 
age is a prime consideration. Board games, card games, 
laughter together - these unite a family and create deep 
bonds. The tiniest children can sit on their parent's laps 
and watch or finger the cards, while older children grow in 
their ability to interact under different kinds of pressure.
When playing games together as a family it is quite alright 
to change the rules to fit the ages and circumstances. The 
main point is that you are all doing something happy and 
positive together.

While a family may not be able to get together every night, 
having one special night of the week that is 'family night' 
can create a beautiful family communication, and deep 
bonding of the right kind. As the children see parents go 
out of their way to keep 'family night' important, they will
learn the pattern to follow as they grow and have social 
commitments of their own. These few hours every week, 
whether during the day, at night, or on the weekend are 
crucial to developing a family that produces long-term 
satisfaction.

The world of the child will be constantly expanding as they
develop relationships with other children, caretakers, 
teachers, and other children's parents. Giving them a strong
'know how' in the area of relationships right from the 
beginning will service them their entire life. 

Audrey Derapporto is the owner and webmaster of 
First Relationship, Inc., a leading Internet portal 
for relationship information. For more relationship 
resources, please stop by: 
http://www.firstrelationship.com