One of our 4 Essentials at ThriveGuide is entitled “Attitude Impacts Behavior”. As a parent, you already know that what you think and how you feel can influence how you behave. Your actions go through the filter of your attitude. Therefore, it’s a good idea to pay close attention to how you feel during your interactions with your child. 

 

At ThriveGuide, we also highlight the importance of rapport. When you have rapport with your child, they are more receptive to you, and are better able to comply and engage in learning. At the heart of rapport is Love.

 

Love is a feeling, but it is also an action. In order for the love you have for your child to be useful in building rapport, it must be visible. Your love needs to be a verb!

 

Here’s a question for you to think on: in what ways do you show your love through actions during interactions with your child? And how can you express your love even more noticeably? 

 

In his 2010 book “Love is a Verb”, Gary Chapman describes how each of us has our own ways of showing love and our own ways that we need to be shown love. The book is focused on self-help relationships, and not on autism, but the main concept applies to building rapport. Figure out what elements of your interactions and affections your child enjoys most, and then find ways to amplify those elements into action. 

 

For example, if your child smiles when you sing, give them an encore and sing for them often. Add a costume, try a new character voice, add a percussion instrument to tap out the beat, write out the main sentence in the chorus for your child to read, draw a picture of the main image in the song… and so on. Make your love actionable by expanding on the things that make your child smile. 

 

And to start your week with this AIM in mind, here is John Mayer’s 2012 jingle “Love is a Verb”. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doZOMXh_oIk 

 

 

Have a stellar, love-filled week!