As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s a great time to introduce you to I Love You Rituals (tm), a meaningful practice created by Dr. Becky Bailey, founder of Conscious Discipline®. Conscious Discipline is evidence-based, rooted in neuroscience, and child development research. It fosters self-regulation and creates a safe, connected environment for both children and adults, promoting emotional well-being and tools for problem solving.
I Love You Rituals harness the power of connection through The Four Elements of Connection which are essential to maximize the benefits and quality of the interaction.
EYE CONTACT
Eye contact enhances attention, social development, and emotional well-being by fostering connectedness in relationships.
TOUCH
Gentle, nurturing touch releases the nerve growth factor, a hormone crucial for neural function and learning.
PRESENCE
Being fully present creates high-quality interactions and secure attachments between you and your child and allows adults to better respond and attune to children throughout the interaction.
PLAYFULNESS
Playfulness shifts the focus to shared joy, valuing each other, and strengthening your bond.
How to Get Started
The Conscious Discipline website provides a variety of songs, poems, and chants specifically designed for I Love You Rituals. However, you can also create your own using poems, songs, games, and fingerplays! For those of you who attend Kindermusik classes EVERY class has at least 1 activity that works as an I Love You Ritual (ask your teacher). The goal is to connect with your child, so embrace playfulness, make funny voices, sing, and be yourself. We’ve provided two favorites from Conscious Discipline.
I Love You Rituals focus on fostering connection between children and caregiving adults, an essential foundation for all learning and development. I Love You Rituals positively influence growth and development in several ways:
Improved Attention Skills
The rituals enhance focus and attention by engaging children in meaningful and joyful interactions, activating the dopamine system, which is critical for learning and concentration.
Strengthened Neural Pathways
Through repetitive, positive interactions, the rituals support brain development, particularly in areas responsible for emotional regulation and social-emotional skills.
Reduced Power Struggles
The rituals create a foundation of trust and connection, fostering cooperation and reducing power struggles.
Increased Emotional Regulation
The safe and nurturing environment of I Love You Rituals helps children develop self-regulation skills, which are essential for managing emotions effectively.
Enhanced Social and Emotional Development
Through eye contact, touch, presence, and playfulness, children learn to build and maintain strong, healthy relationships with others.
Promotion of Unconditional Love and Security
These rituals provide children with a deep sense of love and safety, fostering secure attachments that are critical for emotional and psychological well-being.
Encouraged Care and Cooperation
By modeling empathy, respect, and kindness, I Love You Rituals teach children to express care and cooperate with others.
Boosted Joy and Connection
The playful and interactive nature of the rituals promotes shared joy, strengthening the parent-child bond and contributing to a positive family dynamic.
Decreased Stress
For both children and caregivers, the rituals can lower stress by releasing calming hormones like oxytocin, enhancing overall tranquility.
Foundation for Lifelong Learning
By fostering a sense of connection and emotional safety, the rituals lay the groundwork for a child’s lifelong ability to engage in and benefit from learning experiences
Tips for Success:
Incorporate them into your daily routine— after waking, when saying goodbye, when saying hello after school or work, and before bedtime are times many caregivers use I Love you Rituals
Be consistent, as repetition and predictability help to deepen the sense of connection and joy.
Watch this video from our friends at Conscious Discipline
Learn more about Conscious Discipline by visiting the website and exploring Shubert’s Home at https://consciousdiscipline.com/memberships/free-resources/shuberts-home/
Click this image to visit Shuberts Home on the Conscious Discipline website.