When you first become a dad, you might wonder how to connect with your son so that he feels comfortable opening up to you and learning from your advice. This article has several simple, underrated suggestions to help you bond with your son through everyday activities that can teach life skills.
Video Games
We’ll start by saying kids should experience video games in moderation. Video gaming requires strategy and hand-eye coordination and can be significant for social development when played with another person, like you. You can talk your son through how to approach levels and be a good role model for how to react when the game gets challenging.
Video games also don’t tend to cost much. Your phone has many free or inexpensive games to try, although you’ll both get a lot more out of it if you buy a console (if that’s within your budget). Playing on a big screen together is much more social and enjoyable.
If you’re a dad who plays cards and slot games online, you should wait until your son is of legal age to encourage gambling. Reserve online casinos for your own time, then find one with a high return to player percentage. When you win, use the money to buy something fun that your son and you can do together.
Cooking
Cooking and baking are great ways to bond with your son. Teaching your son to navigate the kitchen is a gateway to an incredibly useful real-life skill. Selecting and measuring ingredients allows you to teach how chemistry and maths work. The rewards can be great, especially if you are making something delicious and healthy – but cookies are also a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
We suggest you explore through trial and error. Let your son choose a method to add some flavour to his choice of meat. With some help, he can also learn about cooking concepts like medium rare, medium, and rare.
Working together in the kitchen also encourages conversation. You’ll spend some time explaining how things work and potentially learning a few things yourself, but cooking provides plenty of downtime to discuss everything else your son observes or wants to bring up.
Road Trip or Car Ride
Do you want to bond with your son? Take the time to talk to him. You might be surprised that many parents report that the scenario that turns their kids into chatterboxes is the everyday car ride. If you are anything like us, you may also wonder why a car ride encourages bonding time.
The honest answer is that most kids sit in the backseat, where they can’t see your reactions to whatever they tell you, even if it isn’t a big secret. Another important element is that when you are both buckled in, there isn’t much else to do besides talk and listen. Also, note the word listen. While we are sure you have cool stories to tell and great advice to give, don’t interrupt your son when he is trying to talk to you. Let his thoughts and words flow freely.
Sports
Sons and dads commonly bond over sports, and the teaching process can often start as early as when your kid learns to walk. Football is an easy sport to teach as your son learns to kick and dribble while also learning the discipline to avoid using his hands. Sports provide an easy conversation topic and something to watch on TV with him.
We suggest encouraging the social aspects of sports by demonstrating them yourself. Be positive when your son is trying out new skills. Just like you at the same age, he is still learning how to balance and will be developing strength for some time. If you verbally encourage him, he will be helpful to his peers when he starts to play on a team. You aren’t just a dad but a role model, too!
Reading
There isn’t anything better than teaching your son the value of learning new information or exploring a fictional world. Reading with your son encourages him to find new interests and take the time to concentrate and absorb the written word. Even if you feel like you aren’t an expert on helping your son sound out words and can’t explain the mechanics of sentences, the effort you put into reading alongside your child shows him the value of learning.
You can make reading way more fun by choosing an interesting fiction book and reading with emphasis or unique character voices, even if you think you sound goofy. And if all your characters sound more or less the same, he’ll still remember the effort!
Let Him Teach You
One of the best ways to bond with your son is by letting him teach you his favourite hobby. Your son and you might have different interests, so asking him to teach you the basics of something he loves is a great way to encourage him to pursue what he likes best.
This idea also applies when you have the same hobby. Even if you already know how to do what your son wants to teach you, you should let him demonstrate his skills and take charge anyway. He’ll have fun and want to teach you more.
Conclusion
Bonding with your son can be a fun learning experience for both of you. Take the time to teach him something new, express confidence in him, and listen, and he’ll come to you for advice when he needs it because you are the role model he looks up to. These methods are simple everyday activities you can try to encourage a deeper connection between you.
