Louise Jackson retweetledi
The love you show your children not only sets them up for a lifetime of success, but a lifetime of positive mental and physical health.
But first, can we talk for a moment about this little one, shown here on the week of his third birthday, who is waiting patiently - but with eager anticipation - for the best part of his day: the moment his family will be reunited as a unit when his father comes home from work.
Watch this video and you’ll see that the tremendous affection he has for his parents is matched only by the affection they have for him.
I’ve written extensively here about attachment - the deep and trusting bond ideally developed between parents and children during the earliest period of life.
This attachment undergirds our positive mental health for a lifetime.
But did you know that a growing body of research also links parental affection to our adult physical health, reducing the body’s allostatic load (a measure of health risks - including blood pressure, heart rate, stress hormones, cholesterol, waist circumference, inflammation and blood-sugar regulation - associated with negative cardiac health events.)
It’s funny: While early childhood lasts only a short period of time when considered against the lifespan, its effects last a lifetime.
You’ll never regret the time you dedicate to showing affection to your little ones.
This fantastic video was shared to TT by moriahnastasi.
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