Eleven Ideas to Show Your Love and Care as a Stepdad
A little love and care goes a long way. This is regardless of the relationship you have with the person at the receiving end, be it a friend, sibling, parent, colleague, loved one or even a stranger.
However, when it comes to the relationship between a parent and a child, the bond is precious and unique. Simple acts of kindness and affection can make the child feel important and valuable.
As a step dad, building this special relationship might be even more challenging than it already is. But as they say, nothing is impossible if you just believe.
Children are naturally innocent and open. If you manage to show your stepchild you love and care for them, it’s a win-win for the both of you.
Here are 11 simple yet great ideas to show your love and care as a stepdad.
1.Talk with Them
Sometimes doing something as simple as talking with your child can be the best therapy for them. Be all ears every time they need to talk to you.
Talk about life, their day at school, college, university or work. Discuss their future plans, give your nonjudgemental two cents if asked and take an genuine interest in their lives.
Ask them questions; tell them about yourself, talk about worldly issues or perhaps anything at all. Just make conversation and exchange words with them.
2. Be a Friend to Them
While adopting to your father figure role, also try being a friend to them. Go out on shopping sprees and late night ice-cream hangouts together.
Ask them what’s wrong when they’re sad and what’s good when they’re happy. Make yourself available to help them through difficult times.
Try creating such a comfort level with them that they feel no hesitation in sharing things with you.
3. Go Out on Family Dinners
Dinner tables are perhaps the best time for families to bond and go over each other’s days. It can also be a time to keep up with all that’s happening in everyones lives.
Going out on family dinner is the perfect, relaxed end to a busy week. It will also be a fun time for each family member.
Taking time out for events like these will really give way to your love and care for your whole family.
4. Have a Detox Session
While this may seem a little bizarre, having a detox session with your kids every once in a while will definitely end up being fun and memorable. You could brew steaming cups of herbal green tea for the kids and you. While sipping on your tea you can talk about the importance of detox for good health.
5. Workout Together
What could be more fun than having fitness goals and working your way towards achieving them with your kids? Perhaps some loud, upbeat music and a day in the gym could take your relationship with your kids to a whole new level.
Afterwards, you could get some protein shakes to make it even more fun.
6. Watch a Movie Together
Pick an entertaining movie and have a movie night with your kids. Make sure to have some popcorn, drinks and pizza.
Nothing can be more special than a stepdad bonding with his kids over movie. Once the movie ends, you could then talk about your favorite scenes from the movie and see if you share similar likes and ideas!
7. Have a Fun Day in the Kitchen
How about giving mom a day off from the kitchen on a lazy Sunday afternoon and cook with your kid in the kitchen? Ask your kids what they want to eat and then together cook the whole thing where one of you does the chopping job and the other handles the stove.
In addition to polishing your kids and your culinary skills, it will be fun for both you and your children.
8. Be Present at their Events
Regardless of where your kids’ study or what they do, try to be there for them at all their special events. Let them know you care and have all the time in the world for them.
Children are often very particular about these things and not being there can damage their sentiments or make them feel you don’t have time for them.
9. Do what your Kid Loves Doing
If your stepchild enjoys sports, take them to their favorite sporting event. You can even play sports with them at home and let them have fun with you.
If child loves dancing, perhaps take dancing lessons together and laugh over who’s the worse. Knowing what they love and doing it with them will strengthen the bond between you two and also increase their love and affection for you over time.
10. Swap Stories with Them
Exchange stories with your stepchildren where you tell them about funny incidents from your childhood. In turn, they could tell you about their childhood experiences or even talk about the present.
This way, you can fill in all the interesting things you have missed out on and similarly, they will get to know more about you.
11. Appreciate Them
A few words of appreciation can really boost children’s confidence and morale. Appreciate and applaud them over the smallest of things because this is very integral in terms of helping your kids being friendlier towards you and look forward to hearing from you and getting your valuable feedback.
Being a stepdad can be very challenging. However, a little care, love and time is all that’s needed for your stepchildren to start cherishing every moment spent with you and accepting you do love them and care for them.
I bristle with #2. Be a Friend to Them. I feel a stepdad’s role is more liken to a coach or mentor. Assuming the kid is normal they’ll have more than enough friends from their peers. They don’t need another friend especially an adult one. A mentor inspires their mentee to be their very best self.
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