Instinctively, we know that a child needs warmth and acceptance, physical touch, our physical presence. There must be love plus boundaries, understanding and validation, play with people of all ages, many experiences of being soothed when they’re upset and a lot of attention and time. So why can it be difficult to do this?
We promise our unborn child that this is how we will behave towards them but then, just a couple of years later, we’re feeling particularly exasperated and we hear our own parents’ words coming out of our mouths. “Because I say so!” or whatever it was they said.
