Life can get busy fast. As parents we can get so focused on working to pay bills or doing home duties to keep the house looking amazing. It can also get consumed by technology easily with mobile phones and social media just an arms reach away. But are we forgetting something more important?
As parent we are raising not only our children, but the future. With money-making the work go around we can sometimes forget what we are working so hard for. We can quickly become disconnected from our children. So here are some ideas to get back on track and just enjoy our children for who they are. Here are some ideas on how to spend some quality time with our children before they grow up to quickly.
Take More Photo’s together
By taking more photos together you get to have fun with you children and capture the moment, blurry or not. Just by taking the time to take photos of your children they will feel like they are doing something wonderful. Photos are also a great keepsake for when your children have grown to look back on. With a camera being right there on your phone it is now easier more than every before to take photos.
Have a bedtime Routine
When a bedtime routine has been put in place your children can have your full attention for the last moments before they go to sleep. Give your children a bath, talk to them while they are putting their pyjamas on and finally read them a story. When you are busy and your attentions are drawing you in other directions, it can be easy to miss those moments when you could be giving your children the time to make them feel like the most important part of your life. Don’t forget to tell them just how much you love them every night, life can be too short to wish you did.
Have A Morning Routine
I have said it before. It is important to start the mornings on the right foot to have a great and productive day. Your children also need to have a good start to the day. You can squeeze in some special quality time by making them breakfast or showing them how. If you haven’t written your to-do list for the day, sit down while they eat and just talk them. But just being there and helping them complete their morning routine, you are giving them some quality time without much effort at all.
Schedule Some Quality Time
If you are one of those parents who is rushed off their feet from sunup to sundown, then it is time to grab your planner. Schedule in some time into your days where you can spend time with your children. Yes, you may have more important money-making things to do, but the best things in life are free. Schedule in a fun activity or just time to finish early where you can just relax with your children and just be there. Take the time to teach them to ride a bike, throw a ball around the back yard or help with their homework. At any age just your presence is such an important thing and the littles things can mean the biggest things to your children.
Have A Cooking Session Together
If you are looking for fun and free activities to do to fill the time on the weekends. Then look no further than your own kitchen. Whether you are a cook to packet sort of person or you bring out nana’s cook from scratch family recipes. You can have hours of fun teaching your children how to cook. Not only will you being teaching your children a life skill but you in return get to spend some quality time with them in the kitchen.
Have Some Imaginative Play Times
Go back to old school playtime and use your imagination. Whether it is playing pirates looking for treasure or playing hairdressers, without the scissors. You can have hours of fun quality time with your children without a one piece of technology in sight. Go outside and have an adventure in the backyard being explores, just let go of reality and escape into your child’s imagination. It won’t cost you one cent and your children will love you for it.
A Family Movie Night
Holding a family movie night is the simplest way to spend time with your family. It doesn’t take mush time to organise a night in as a family to enjoy each others company. If your children are old enough then you can even try a movie rotation, where a different family member can choose a movie each time. With some microwave popcorn and a couple of blankets you can be ready in to time to spend time your children each week.
Have a Living Room Campout
If you haven’t had a lounge room camp out then you really need to try it. Yes the lounge room will be a mess for the night. But it is worth it for the fun quality time you will have you kids. It doesn’t have to be a regular thing either, just once or twice a year. If there is a long weekends the bring out the blankets and the pillow and turn your lounge room floor into one giant bed for the night. If you have one grab a blow up mattress of two, or if you have the strength drag out the mattresses to the lounge room. You need to try this at least once while you children are younger.
Have A Backyard Campout
Times have changed but if you have a tent and the weather is warm try a backyard camping trip. Have a barbecue for dinner and just have some fun with your kids. You can even roast some marshmallows on the barbecue. You children will love the adventure and love that you want to do it with them.
Have A Dance Party
This is something we like to do every Saturday. It is a great way to fit in a workout into your weekend by simply getting moving. But more importantly we just get to get up and dance with our children. It is simple, fun and free. Your children will love that you will get up and dance with them. All while listening to some good tunes.
Do The Chose Together
Yes I know what your thinking, kids hate chores. Mine do too but when I take the time to help them, they get more involved. You will have a chance to talk to them will you are all cleaning. It is a simple, free and productive way to spend time with you children. You will be once agin teaching them a life skill, but more importantly they will feel like you are there for them.
Get Out Of The House
It is simple but get out of the house as a family. Go for a walk or a bike ride but do it with you children. If you have a local park then go with them but instead of sitting on the bench watching them play, join in on the fun. By getting out of the house you are changing your environment and starting an adventure. Your children will love being in the outside world exploring and just having fun with you. Just be there and be involved, rather than sitting on the sideline watching them have fun without you.
Have A Games Night
Board games are a great way to spend some time with your children. Put those technology devices away for a couple of hours and play some games with your kids. There are plenty of games to choose from for a great variety of ages. Not only is this a great way to get some bonding time in with your children but you will also be able to talk to them while playing. Take the opportunity to connect with you children and just enjoy each others company
Final Thoughts…
If I am learning anything as a mother. It is that time just seems to fly by when you have children. Try not to miss the opportunities to connect and bond with your children. I would much rather feel like I am being unproductive by being there when my children ask me to be, then to be a couple of years down the track with them saying I didn’t give them the time they needed. I think we would all hope that our children got the time they wanted and needed in the long run.
If you liked this post then why not read some of my others below:
4 Simple Ways To Avoid Mum Burnout
My 8 Secrets To Survive Pregnancy With A Toddler
No Comments