The things you do today
will impact a child’s future.
Be A Hero
Connecting with children each day lowers the chance for them to engage in risky behavior later in life.
Whether you’re a parent, relative, teacher or friend, the time you spend with kids matters.
Small Actions
Have a Big Impact
You don’t have to save the world to be a superhero in a child’s life.
Small moments matter.
Eat Dinner Together
Eating family dinners together regularly is associated with lower rates of teen smoking, drinking, and drug use. Taking time to eat dinner together isn’t about the food on the table, but the conversations around it. *The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University
Read A Book
Read for 20 minutes before bedtime. Set a regular reading time in your child’s schedule. It has benefits outside of creating shared time together: you help set rules and routines. Take time, make moments count, build a stronger family connection.
Play A Game
Between homework, sports, and household chores, fun activities like game night sometimes get pushed to the back burner. Find time to play a game - even on the busiest of days.
Put Down Your Phone
Put your phone down, turn off the TV or computer and connect face to face. Creating a strong bond with your child now can mean less risky behaviors later in life. When kids talk seriously about what they are doing, their skills grow and their self-confidence blossoms.
Ask Them Questions
Conversation builds brain power. Little kids’ brains are sponges. The more we talk to them, the more they absorb. Parents who ask questions and talk with their kids often are setting them up for success in school and in life. Talk to them about how to turn down alcohol and other drugs. Learn more: https://www.youareprevention.org/parents
Give Praise
Take time to praise a child for at least one thing they are doing right, even if it’s small. When children feel they can achieve their goals, they feel good about themselves which benefits their mental health and wellbeing.
Find 10 Minutes to Play
When children get love and support in a fun family environment, they are better able to take on the childhood tasks of exploring their world and learning new skills on their own. They also learn how to connect to other people and build healthy relationships. Join them in a playful activity.
Take Care of You
Parenting can be stressful but you can bounce back from challenges. Being a hero doesn’t mean being a perfect parent, but it’s important for you to take care of yourself. Find time to reenergize by taking a bath, writing in a journal, laughing, talking with a friend or exercising.
Why It Matters
Parents today have a lot on their plates. Juggling the demands of home, work and other responsibilities leaves many parents feeling they do not have enough time with their children. Even small acts of kindness, protection, and caring—a hug, a smile, or loving words—make a big difference to children.
Research shows kids who receive affection and nurturing from their parents have the best chance of developing into happy, healthy, and competent children, teens, and adults. A relationship in the early years with a consistent, stable, and caring adult is associated with better academic grades, healthier behaviors, more positive peer interactions, and an increased ability to cope with stress in later life.
* Strengthening Families and Communities 2010 Guide, Department of Health and Human Services