Written by Tiffany Gibson, Co-Founder of Gibson Family Photography with notes from Deborah Winters, Creator of Confidentmomsclub.com and Founder of House of Harmony
His voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. His response to something that seemed so simple changed Gibson Family Photography forever.
He gasped for air and his eyes filled up with amazement. “That’s me, Mommy,” my son shouted while pointing at the wall. There hung a brand new gallery warp (canvas) print of our family, a gift his dad had given me for a holiday.
Who could’ve known that something as simple as displaying family portraits throughout one’s home could be so impactful for a child? Have you had this experience in your home? Maybe you’ve wondered how to make your children feel like they are valued members of your family. Maybe you’ve never even thought about it. Either way, what I’m about to share with you will reshape how you approach your home decor to create a greater sense of belonging for your kids.
Deborah Winters, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, parent educator, sleep trainer, and mom coach, and I got together to discuss how impactful portraits in the home are for fostering a sense of belonging for our children. She eloquently states, “A printed photo displayed can play a significant role in shaping a child’s sense of belonging by visually representing them with their family unit. When children see these images daily, they are reminded that they are loved and supported. This can evoke positive emotions within the child and reinforce the emotional bond they have with their family members.”
We live in a world where conversations around anxiety and depression are more popular than ever. According to Georgetown’s Center for Children & Families “…researchers from the Health Resources and Services Administration find that anxiety and depression among children ages 3-17 have increased over the last five years.” Our own four-year-old has had moments of anxiety that we had to walk through with him. Now more than ever, children need to be reassured that they are safe and loved. What could create a safe and loving environment than a place where children are visibly celebrated? For parents who want to raise children to be emotionally healthy adults one day, creating emotional bonds and evoking positive emotions in the home are top priorities.
I once had a family tell me they didn’t want to be flashy or vain by having portraits of their family on the walls everywhere in their home. Friend, your home is the best place to display portraits of the beautiful blessings God has given you called, your children. Whether it is rejoicing over a new follower count or beaming because of a promotion at work, we have the choice to celebrate so much in this world, why not choose to celebrate those that truly matter? Why not celebrate those that we have the most direct influence over?
After noticing how exciting it was to see our child’s face light up when he saw a photo of himself displayed in our home, we wanted to help other parents create the same sense of belonging for their children through photography and custom artwork of their family.
It brings our kiddos so much joy to see their little smiles on the walls and of course the refrigerator of our home. Our son and daughter, both under the age of five (at the time I’m writing this), have grown up gazing at the artwork of themselves decorating the nooks of our home.
Their expression of excitement reassures us that our goal to create a space in which our kids feel like they belong was accomplished. We only wish my husband and other children had the same experience growing up.
Being raised in an impoverished environment made it hard to hold onto Polaroid memories. Not only were several pictures of my husband, our head photographer lost, but he is the third child of seven and a sense of belonging wasn’t a consistent feeling.
As much as a sense of belonging has healthy benefits for a child, the lack of feeling included brings about a negative outcome. What happens when a child lacks a feeling of acceptance from their caregivers? Winters says, “As a reminder, belongingness refers to feeling connected, accepted, and valued in relations within our environment. When children do not feel a sense of belonging, it can lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and social rejection. This lack of belonging can cause an increase in anxiety as children may be more likely to worry about fitting in or be excluded from social activities.”
As parents, it is so vital for us to check the emotional temperature in our homes, especially if a new member of the family is on the way. Whether a child is a young toddler or a child in middle school, it’s imperative to remind children that they are supported and loved when the family has a new baby on the way. This is why we encourage families to do maternity portrait sessions that include all the siblings. It is our goal to give families a tool to help each member of their family feel included.
Although it may not be the entire solution to children feeling left out, we decided our work would have the purpose of bringing people together to celebrate each other. In our own way, we started to create a way for families to create a connection through the art of photography to help families avoid the negative effects of a lack of belonging.
You know that face a child makes when he or she draws something or makes a craft at school that he or she is so proud of and cannot wait to show you? When you hang it up on the fridge it makes his day. It makes him feel loved because his family accepts him and celebrates him.
That’s the feeling we love to help families create when we deliver custom fine artwork after their portrait session with us.
A child seeing themselves in a beautifully framed portrait on the wall doesn’t just bring them temporary happiness, it has lasting psychological benefits.
“One way to help children belong is to focus on building positive relationships with them. Strong positive relationships can go a long way toward helping children increase their self-esteem, promote trust and respect, and induce positive behavior. Four ingredients of strong relationships are: Showing respect, having fun, giving encouragement, and showing love,” Winters continues. Our sessions certainly accomplish all four of these ingredients through interactive prompts that capture natural, lifestyle portraits of our clients. Not only will your time together enhance your positive emotional bond but the time you spend selecting and hanging your portraits or flipping through your premium album will create an opportunity to promote trust as well as respect for one another. This is especially important if you have older children or teenagers.
No matter their age, “…having a family portrait can contribute to a child’s sense of belonging because it is not only something that a parent has to schedule [demonstrating intentionality], but it is also inclusive of each family member. Lastly, a family portrait is a fun shared experience that can increase the emotional connection and bond between the child, their caregiver, and family,” Winters states.
If we truly desire to have emotionally healthy children who feel connected to their families, it begins with ensuring that the space they spend the most time in, their home, is filled with creatively crafted ways that we intentionally tell them, “You matter here” and one of the most unique ways to do that is through custom portraits that help the little moments last for a lifetime! Let’s work together to create a deeper connection and sense of belonging for your children. Schedule your free consultation today and we’ll talk to you soon!
Works Cited:
Osorio, Aubrianna, et al. “Research Update: Children’s Anxiety and Depression on the Rise.” Center For Children and Families, Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families, 9 Dec. 2022, ccf.georgetown.edu/2022/03/24/research-update-childrens-anxiety-and-depression-on-the-rise/#:~:text=In%20a%20new%20article%20published,over%20the%20last%20five%20years.