Relationships

The first and most important learning in a child's life happens within the family. Children learn from the way people treat them and from what they see, hear and experience as soon as they are born. Children are natural learners and between birth and five years, and especially to three years, children grow and learn at the fastest rate of their lifetime. It is easy to see the enormous opportunity parents, and those who care for children, have in these early years to help shape children's learning before they start school.

Families have changed a great deal in recent years and there are now many different forms of family, as well as different styles of parenting. One thing is certain ... whatever the family means to you it is the most important part of children's lives. The family in which your child grows up in will have a big influence on how well your child will cope with situations, relationships and living. Just as a loving, caring family can create a child with good self esteem, so an unhappy, fearful family can lead to low self esteem and a range of problems for a child.

Sometimes unhelpful ways of doing things, habits and patterns form in our families without us realising that this has happened. We often just know that life seems harder and not enjoyable anymore as a parent. You may find it useful to think about how your family works.