Family Support Blog #21 – Special time with your children
Spending special time with your children is so important, as it can deepen your relationship, make them feel important and loved and great memories can be created.
So many parents feel guilt, because they feel they don’t spend enough time with their kids. “I know this feeling, as I have felt that way many times with my kids”, so remember it’s not just you feeling this way. In today’s parenting culture a lot of emphasis is put on spending vast amounts of time with your kids. Although spending quality and one-to-one time with your kids is important, we all know that life can be very busy.
Spending time
Parents may feel that they need to spend countless hours with their kids and they need to do special activities all the time, but this is not the case. Spending just 10 minutes with your kids can be just as special as spending countless hours. “Let’s not make spending quality time with your kids a challenge, as I know that’s how we sometimes feel as parents”.
There are so many ways to spend valued time with your kids. Here are some of the simple ways you can spend quality time with your kids:
- Play a game (board games, this can be fun with the whole family)
- Sit together and just talk about the day (This can encourage communication)
- Read together and have a cuddle
- Do chores together (Younger kids often like to help with the chores)
- Get crafty (Get your creative juices flowing and see what you can come up with)
- Go for a walk (This can keep you fit and healthy and encourage conversation)
- Cook together (Great to spend time together and learn some valuable life skills)
- Free play (Allow your child to take the lead with play and you follow along. This can really boost confidence and establish connection!)
- Do pretend play (pretend play come naturally for younger kids and is important for development
- Natures walks (This is great to help increase your kid’s attentiveness to the world around them)
Quality Over Quantity
As I said before, you are better off giving your child 10 minutes of your undivided time, even if this is in a queue at the supermarket (although that may be annoying to be in a queue for that long lol), rather than spending 6 hours in the same room using different electronic devices. Worry less about being physically present for hours on end. Instead, make sure you’re mentally present when you’re with your child.
Put your phone down and give your child your undivided attention. Your child will feel valued and loved when you provide high-quality, positive attention.
Focus on listening to your child, making good eye contact, and engaging in healthy interaction during your time together, regardless of what you’re doing.
Over spending time with your Kids
As much as spending quality time with your kids is great, but you can also spend too much time with them, which can cause them to feel anxious when not with you.
Encourage your kids to learn to do things on their own, as if they take risks, they will be better at accomplishing goals in their future. Sometimes it’s hard as parents to let go, but your kids will become better adults if you allow them to learn things on their own.
Time for you as a parent
So in closing don’t forget that you as a parent need time for yourself too, so set boundaries and routines for your kids, for instance: have your kids go to bed at a reasonable hour, so you have that time for yourself to relax and reset, as this will help you to be more present for your kids.
Our Family Support Team are here to offer support and advice and are running workshops in your school throughout the year so please get in touch if you would like more information contact admin@chexs.co.ukWe are #hereforyou if you need advice, guidance or support – you can contact us via the contact information on our Team page.
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