Four Benefits of Parental Love and Leading in a Child’s Learning

Love is the underlying motivation for leading a child through an educational experience which fosters deep learning and transformation. Why is this? Because love is active, intentional, and self-giving. And as love is consistently expressed through a parent, it has a profound impact in the life of a child. This includes the positive effects of (1) attachment and resilience, (2) knowing and belonging, (3) cognitive development, and (4) growing in the attributes of God. Let’s briefly look at each of these.^[1]

Attachment and resilience: Receiving unconditional and consistently expressed love forms healthy attachment and resilience. Attachment is the emotional bond between a parent and a child. Children are born with an innate drive to form attachments with their parents.^[2] Attachment is a result of being unconditionally loved and cared for early in life. It is so powerful that it forms the basis for future cognitive, social, and emotional development.^[3] It also has the effect of nurturing resilience (i.e., the ability within a child to walk through life’s challenges, including academic challenges, and succeed).^[4]

Knowing and belonging: Through the lens of love, parents can progressively know their children as God created them. For the child, being seen and known is affirming, healing, and empowering. It provides a deep sense of belonging. It helps the child develop the awareness that they belong in their family and community. It affirms that they belong in the arena of learning, exploration, creativity, and contribution to society.

Cognitive development: Children are made in the image of God and are internally wired to thrive in an atmosphere of love. Healthy brain development requires love. So, when children are loved, their cognitive development is impacted in very positive ways, enabling them to learn more effectively. Remember, learning is mediated through relationships, and relationships thrive through consistently demonstrated love.

Attributes of God: As we love our children with His love, they learn from our example (both in how we love them and in the way it impacts them). They learn that love is patient, kind, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never fails. They learn that love is not jealous, does not brag, and is not arrogant. They learn be gracious, forgiving, and to seek for the welfare of others (see 1 Cor 13:4–8a). Through the example of the parent-teacher, they are taught to grow in love (i.e., the nature of their Heavenly Father).

You can learn more about the tremendous impact of parental love and leading in the education and faith development of children in my book, The Parent-Teacher: Love and Leading in Learning.

^[1] Excerpt taken from Reeves, The Parent-Teacher, xv–xvi.

^[2] Bowlby, Attachment and Loss: Volume 1, Attachment.

^[3] Peters, “Attachment Theory and Disorders,” 102.

^[4] Ginsburg, Building Resilience in Children and Teens, 26, 41.