Want to strengthen your bond with your kids while promoting their social and emotional growth? Time spent with them can do all of these things and more.
Life is hectic, whether you're a working parent or a stay-at-home parent. With little to no rest, parents frequently find themselves rushing from one activity to the next. We are the ones who prepare meals, follow schedules, and patch up injuries. Additionally, we are top-notch entertainers, homework tutors, teaching assistants, and (informally) social workers. Not to mention our most crucial task: chauffeur. Transporting our kids to extracurricular activities from school and the workplace is a chore in and of itself.
Learn how to spend quality time with your children in a variety of methods that will allow you to get to know them better and help them feel valued, supported, loved, and understood.
1. Everyday Check-In
When you ask your children how their day was as soon as they arrive home from school, they almost always respond with the standard "it was good." However, was it really? Take the time to learn about their day, whether it is over dinner or when you are putting them to bed. What did they learn in class that was the most fascinating? At lunch, did they try anything new? At playtime, who did they play with? The secret to having these talks with your child is to turn them into more of a springboard for spending quality time together and talking about issues that are crucial to their daily lives.
2. Honour accomplishments and a job well done.
Do it whenever you have a chance to honour your children! And no, we're not just referring to when they receive a "A" or outperform everyone else in a competition. Have they experimented outside of their comfort zone? Did they invest a lot of effort and thought into a project, giving it their all? Celebrating their achievements is a wonderful way to spend time together and fosters constructive behaviour.
3. Allow your children to make their own decisions.
Although it can be challenging to give up power to your henchmen, their desires for quality time may not be as unreasonable as you think. Find out how your child would like to spend time with you. Do they wish to engage in joint play, colouring, or crafting activities? Have a dancing party or perhaps throw a baseball? Giving kids control isn't simply empowering; it can also come as a nice surprise because you can discover something new about their hobbies.
4. Game or family movie night
Introducing your children to the games and television shows you enjoyed as a child is another enjoyable way to spend quality time with them. Math and strategy are frequently used in games, which makes learning enjoyable. Many classic television programmes and motion pictures continue to deliver timeless stories and impart important life lessons. You and your children will be astounded at how quickly time passes when you are having a good time.
5. Cooking and creating together
Kids must eat, and even the pickiest eaters will cooperate if given the chance to assist in organising and/or preparing their own meals and snacks. Cooking and creating together is a practical example of teaching your children that their ideas and opinions matter. Having autonomy over their choices not only piques their interest in concocting delights.
