10 Ways to Bond Better with Your Kids

Over the decades, Good Housekeeping has shared tips on everything from teething to taming the teen spirit. We dug into our archives to uncover some of our best tips and learned that good parenting advice never goes out of style.

1. GH wisdom from 1900: "Among the pleasantest memories of many a childhood are the recollections of those rare and eventful days when work was suspended for the time and Father and Mother went with the children for an outing."
Related: Great Trips to Take as a Family

2. Talk during chores. Prepping dinner, shoveling snow, or painting the basement are perfect times to get your teen to open up.
Related: How to Raise Respectful Children (Hint: Chores Are Important!)

3. Chat in the car. Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder rather than eye-to-eye makes kids feel less defensive; perfect for getting into a real conversation.
Related: Talking Sex, Drugs, and Money with Your Teen

4. Share your passions. Introducing him to your hobbies offers him a new perspective on you as someone with interests beyond his grades and friends.
Related: How to Give Advice (So Your Child Will Take It)

5. Take an interest in her passions. If she offers you entry into her obsession du jour (whether a novel or an ice cream flavor), demonstrate a real willingness to enjoy it. It's a surefire way to strengthen your bond.
Related: The Right Way to Praise Your Kids

6. Just watch him. Remember how your toddler loved it when you watched him dance around the room or draw a picture? Teens still crave that positive attention, and it can intensify your relationship.
Related: Be Involved! How to Communicate with Your Child's Teacher

7. Don't play 20 questions. Posing endless queries makes kids feel like you're prying. Instead, ask general questions about a topic he loves and when he makes a comment, add your own.
Related: How to Stop Kids from Talking Back

8. Talk by typing. Learn how to text or IM. Teens are often more comfortable with cyber communication than they are with face-to-face chats.
Related: How to Cut Down on Your Teen's Texting

9. BRB? LMAO? If your child's language is peppered with unintelligible words, try netlingo.com. It'll help you decode even the most cryptic conversations with a dictionary of online jargon that's updated daily.
Related: Test Your Knowledge of Teen Slang

10. "If a child is given love, he becomes loving...if he's helped when he needs help, he becomes helpful. And if he has been truly valued at home...he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself to the welfare of others." --Dr. Joyce Brothers, 1974 (author, spokesperson, and GH contributor for almost 40 years)
Related: 13 Great Movies for the Whole Family

How do you develop a loving relationship with your child?

More from Good Housekeeping: