Trust is one of the strongest components of any kind of healthy relationship. But it also happens to be one of the hardest things to handle in life – especially for parents.

That’s because parents have to build a sense of trust between themselves and their children from the ground up, and they have to do all the hard work. As a parent yourself, you might worry about your child secretly having no faith in you, or them not trusting you enough.

All such doubtful thoughts are natural to have, no matter how new or experienced you are. The gist does not change: you need to make your child trust you, and the best way to do that is by creating a supportive and healthy environment from the get-go.

Here are some surefire ways you can achieve that, and more:

Listen & Understand

One of the most important aspects of trust is to have the capacity to listen to others. This is exceptionally important for children, since they’re not proficient enough to completely explain something that they want to share. That’s why you have to listen to them clearly, and show that you’re paying close attention to them.

The next step is to understand; it’s always best to focus on why they’re saying something, whether they’re crying or throwing a tantrum. Paraphrase their words to them so that they better understand their own emotions, and then focus on calming them down before you try to solve their problem; this will show that you care enough to make an effort to make them feel better.

Be Honest

Trust is about transparency, and you can’t be transparent if you can’t be honest. That’s why you have to be honest with your child at all times, regardless of whether the news is sweet or bitter. The trick to successfully handle negative situations is by avoiding sugar-coating things, and helping them understand the “why” behind the bad news.

The point of being honest is to show children that you trust them enough with something as valuable as the truth. If you remove that kind of barrier between you and your child, then the bond of trust you both share will automatically grow stronger.

Keep Your Pinkie Promises

When you trust someone, you don’t want them to break your promises. The same applies to your children!

If you keep any promise for your child, follow through it to the end. Nothing is worse than keeping a promise just to make your little one calm down – because that just shows your child that you don’t mean what you say. This will inevitably hurt the bond of trust you both might share.

On the contrary, if you do keep a promise completely, your child will realize that you always stay true to your word – and will hence prefer trusting you with fulfilling their needs.

Build & Respect Boundaries

It might seem like setting basic boundaries like “no shouting”, “no hitting” or “no biting” is something innate, it’s actually contributing to strengthening trust. When you build constructive boundaries like that, you’re helping your child stay safe and protected. Your child realizes that, and will appreciate you for keeping them safe from the start.

Furthermore, when you respect the same boundaries, you’re showing your child that you respect them as well. You’re showing them your integrity, and how trustworthy you can be when it comes to making others feel safe and secure.


Nurseries in JLT help children learn how to trust others and themselves. In fact, Oakfield Early Learning Centre is a step ahead of others, because the professional practitioners there make sure every child respects their own and others’ boundaries. Plus, they commit children to group activities, where they practice trusting others to get a certain task done. This is first-hand training for trusting others readily – something that they’ll need for the real world.


If we look at the bigger picture, all that parenting is the establishment of trust between you and your child. It can be tricky, and most of the times you might fail. But in the end, be open about your mistakes, and show your child that you love them and care for them. Sooner or later, they will realize your efforts and have a strong faith in you.