Therapist Eli Harwood shares key phrases for parent-child bonding

Therapist Eli Harwood, known on Instagram as @attachmentnerd, has shared five key phrases she uses with her children to foster strong emotional bonds and secure attachment. Drawing on 17 years of professional experience, Harwood emphasizes the importance of creating a ‘safe harbor’ for children.

Her core messages include reassuring children that problems can be solved together, promising to listen to any topic without judgment, and clarifying that a child's role is to discover their own identity rather than to ensure their parents' happiness. She also stresses the importance of believing a child when they report being hurt or frightened.