A Focus Series

Key parenting principles

An introduction to some fundamental parenting strategies
Inside this Series

The first and most essential requirement for effective parenting is to ensure that your child always feels a close emotional connection to you. You know that you love your child to bits, but your child may not always sense that. Your child needs to be able to feel your love on their side of the relationship. On this page you’ll learn about attachment, that is, how to maintain that close relationship with your child. Plus, you’ll learn some additional principles that apply to other important areas of parenting.


Maintaining a close emotional bond with your child

The quality of the emotional connection between you and your child will have a significant, life-long impact on your child's emotional health. In this free, six-episode video series, Focus on the Family Canada counsellor Luke Campbell will help you understand how to keep creating the positive interactions that are essential to your young child’s sense of security and well-being.
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Recommended resources

How We Love Our Kids by Milan and Kay Yerkovich

The Connected Parent by Karyn B. Purvis, Lisa Qualls and Emmelie Pickett

The Connected Child by Karyn B. Purvis, David R. Cross and Wendy Lyons Sunshine

Created to Connect study guide by Karyn Purvis and Michael and Amy Munroe


Maintaining a close emotional bond during discipline

Recommended resources

Discipline That Connects With Your Child's Heart by Jim and Lynne Jackson

The Connected Parent by Karyn Purvis and Lisa Qualls

The Connected Child by Karyn B. Purvis, David R. Cross and Wendy Lyons Sunshine

Signals: How Brain Science and the Bible Help Parents Raise Resilient Children by Cherilyn Orr


Building emotional intelligence and resilience

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Are My Kids On Track? by Sissy Goff, David Thomas and Melissa Trevathan

What Am I Feeling? by Josh and Christi Straub

Signals: How Brain Science and the Bible Help Parents Raise Resilient Children by Cherilyn Orr


Bringing out the best in your child: Character and academics

Recommended resources:

Start With the Heart by Kathy Koch

You Can't Make Me . . .  by Cynthia Tobias


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