Discover the benefits of embracing boredom! Gail Smiths explains how encouraging children to slow down and enjoy moments of stillness can lead to new ideas and creativity. Let's create space for quiet reflection and see the magic it brings to their lives!
Read MoreWith no expectation placed on you other than enjoying each other’s company, having fun with your child is all about finding quality time that is a such a precious and valuable way of building lasting and healthy relationships.
Read MoreHave you ever noticed how your life just gets busier and busier?
In fact, the more complications, the more as a society, we think we are functioning effectively. How often I would hear school parents say that their children were growing up far too quickly and that they were missing out on so much of their childhood. Yet they did not know how to change that situation.
There is much truth in this statement especially given that time moves so fast when we are busy people.
This article challenges us to find that time, by uncluttering life, so that space is created for your child. It is not about creating more space, but rather, taking back some time from your already busy life.
This is a massive challenge for families. However, it is possible to declutter life a little to make more room for your children. It was not uncommon to hear children at school talk excitedly about plans that their families had made to simply be together. The presence of being together is in most cases all that children want from parents. Being present is the key to feeling connected.
Consider some of the following suggestions to reclaim time for the family.
As a family, plan together those special times. This is quite common in some families to simply gather and plan how each week/fortnight /term etc. has adequate quality time for all the family. It is a matter at looking at what has to go. It is amazing how creative children can be when included in this discussion. The mere fact that it is factored into your life suggests to the child how important it is to the parent.
Draw up a list of all that you have scheduled for the week. Can you eliminate some of the activities to just be home with the children? Writing it down works for some families as they see and think about how relevant are some of the activities. Involving the children in this process is valuable.
Schools provide busy schedules inviting families into the classroom throughout the year. These are great opportunities to spend quality time with your child. Schools understand the importance of building strong families.
Be creative with your time together. When driving your child somewhere or shopping together, have you got time to stop off for a milkshake or a play in the park.
Consider the layout of your house. Is it set up so that the children are visible? This enables more conversation, more connection and happy times together.
Are there activities that you can share together? For example, if you like certain music, invite your child to listen with you.
Bedtime is an excellent time to just chill with your child and talk about everything and nothing!
Consider picking up your child early from school occasionally to simply have time together. This can be built in across the year.
Lots of just sitting together and cuddling is quality time, uncomplicated by having to be or do.
Try avoid saying to the child,
“I haven’t got time now.”
Instead say:
“That’s important. I’ll find time with you to do that”.
With such a promise make certain it is always followed through.
Keep a journal of those special moments together. Writing it down often stimulates the desire for creating more time together. Show the diary to your child.
Take care with formalised sports. As parents we become very involved with them and this consumes time. However, think about kicking a ball around or shooting goals with them, yourselves.
Set up a schedule on the fridge which highlights time together. This is a clear message to children of their relevance in your life across the week.
Letting go of jobs, tasks, etc. is accepting that limits must be set on practical tasks so that you can spend more precious time with your child. How often do we miss the laughter and joy of those special moments as they grow from infancy to adolescents? The fatigue or tiredness we often feel is due to the far too many jobs we put on the list of “must do.” Such fatigue dulls our ability to enjoy our children.
As time goes, the relevance of those busy tasks fades into oblivion but not the journey and the long-term memory of watching your child grow.
You are modelling to your child, that setting limits on tasks and replacing them with building strong relationships with your child is critical to you as a parent.
“In family relationships, love is really spelled t-i-m-e”