Prioritizing Quality Time With the Kids
Sep 25, 2023Hi there friends,
I wrote this post for social media today, and I decided I'd really love to go a bit deeper into it and provide some perspective for the blog.
Here's the post if you didn't see it:
Today's reminder: Quality > Quantity!
A few ways to make sure we're prioritizing quality:
Be fully present. Put away distractions like phones and work-related thoughts. Engage in the moment and actively listen when you communicate with your children.
Establish special routines. Whether it's a bedtime story, a weekly game night, or a Saturday morning nature walk, these interactions build excitement, engagement, and create lasting memories.
Ask open-ended questions. Instead of "Did you have a good day at school?" Try "What was the best part of your day? And what was the worst part?" Show genuine interest, and watch how your after-school conversations transform.
Participate in hobbies and interests your child enjoys. Watching their favorite tv show, playing a video game they enjoy, or playing catch all can go a long way in demonstrating your active participation and interest in their lives.
Share your interests. Likewise, introduce them to hobbies and interests that you enjoy. This can strengthen your bond and expose them to new things.
Dedicated, uninterrupted time for each child. This can be as simple as a 10-20 minute chat before bed. The goal is to make an effort to provide your undivided attention to each child as regularly as possible.
Show love and affection regularly. Hugs, words of affirmation, and small gestures of kindness are powerful methods of nurturing bonds.
The truth is, most of us are way too busy. Many of us work outside the home, all of us work inside the home, and that's just the tippy top of the iceberg of responsibilities on our plates. Our children are definitely a top priority, but we never quite have as much time to spend with them as we'd like. It's hard not to fall into the could've/should've/would've guilt-trap.
It's easy to lay in bed at night and think, "Should I have played with them more? Should I have ignored the dishes and read them a story instead?" (Insert 100 variations of guilt all the way up to "Will they love the babysitter more than me? I think they spend more time with her π")
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating for filling every second of our time or spreading ourselves too thin. What I AM doing.. Is validating that I know you probably have already reduced as much as you can in this season. You're already doing the best that you can. You can't pull time from anywhere else right now, and you certainly can't create more of it.
So what CAN you do?
You can rest assured that our connection and bond with our children doesn't come down to how many hours of the day we spend together.
Because quality >>>> quantity!
To reiterate, the top 7 ways to prioritize quality time with our children include:
1. Being Fully Present
2. Establishing Special Routines
3. Asking Open-Ended Questions
4. Participating in Their Hobbies and Interests
5. Sharing Your Interests
6. Dedicating Uninterrupted Time for Each Child
7. Showing Love and Affection
Quality time deepens your relationship, builds trust, and creates lifelong memories. It's an investment in your child's well-being and your own. You'll find that your life is filled with just as much fulfillment and joy as theirs as you lean in to these connections. As parents, we have the unique opportunity to shape our children's lives and create a lasting impact. So, remember, it's not about the quantity of time you spend with your children but the quality of those moments; and these moments are the building blocks of lifelong bonds. β€οΈ
With love,
Katy
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