Mommy & Me Quality Time
The alarm clock goes off and you think to yourself, " Didn't I just fall asleep?" Are your days filled with packing lunch bags, car pools, after-school activities, dinner, homework, bath time and bedtime- All on top of your own job and the other responsibilities of being a parent. At the end of the day you muster up just enough energy to get yourself to bed so you can wake up early and start the hamster wheel all over again.
Do the days start to overlap and before you know it your first born is in college and your youngest isn't a baby anymore.
Time has a way of passing us by. Each day brings new growth, new milestones and new chances to be amazed by our children. Yet, we miss many of those opportunities because we're too busy navigating through life.
Our children deserve to spend quality time with us. They need to see who we are behind all the hustle and bustle. They in turn will reveal to you who you truly are. It's not about how much time we spend with our kids that matter, but rather the moments we spend together. So what can you do to add
quality time into your already hectic schedule? Well, it's easy!
Use your daily activities to spend time together:
Meal Prep
Lunches have to be packed and dinner has to be made, right? This is a cheap and easy way to include your kids and spend genuine time talking together. Depending on the age of your children, there is a task that just about every age group can help with. Here are just a few of my ideas:
Infants- prop them up in a bouncer or high chair while you prepare tomorrow's lunches or tonight's dinner. Talk to them (yes they still listen at this age), sing to them, tell them what
you're doing.
Toddlers- sitting in a high chair/booster seat toddlers can join you in food prep. Give them a few toddler-friendly foods and plastic tupperware or ziploc bags to sort their items. While they sort you can sing favorite songs, practice counting together and chat.
Preschoolers- can help by kneeing on a chair or standing on a stool. This age is eager for any attention they can get! Give your preschooler a clean popsicle stick and a banana, using the popsicle stick as a tool to cut their banana into pieces as you cut veggies for a salad. Listen to them talk- all you can do is listen, they don't let you get a word in anyway. Ask questions about their day (use their senses to aid in questioning).
School-age children are more independent and make great assistants. These kiddos can help with food prep to setting the table. Give them things to do that make them feel capable and responsible. They can talk about their day in great detail. Ask about their friends, what they did at recess.
Tweens/Teens as we know make it difficult to peak their interests. You'll need to really make it worth their while. Plan themed dinner nights- taco night is my favorite. Very easy to put together, set up the table buffet style. While they're washing the vegetables, stacking the tortillas, mixing the salsa, grating the cheese, they may include you in what's happening at school. Ask questions in a "non-invasive" way, let your tween/teen guide the flow of the conversation. This is a great opportunity to learn about their friends, interests, fears, strengths/weakness. Taco Night eventually becomes something they look forward to (even though they might not tell you).
At- Home Movie Night
These can be as simple as tossing in a DVD and popping some popcorn or as crazy as a Pajama Party. Blockbuster Express and Redbox kiosk allow you to rent DVDs for as little as $1 a night. If that's still too much for your budget, borrow DVDs from the library or exchange them with a friend.
Kids can get bored with movies they already own. Swapping with other families gives them varieties to choose from and they may develop a liking for another type of movie in the process.
Your local library screams FREE
I've heard the rumor, "working parents have a harder time getting to the library than stay at home parents." I know the feeling I was one of those working moms who never made it to the children's room for story time. Every local library is different, hunt around. The closest library might not offer hours that fit your schedule, but the one in the town over just might.
What can you get for FREE at the library?
However you choose to spend time with your child(ren), remember to make it intentional and un-interrupted (no phone, Internet, distractions). This special time will foster trust and provide memorable moments that you'll never forget.
Parents, they simply need you.
Guest blog post by Weekend Happenings in MA & RI Blogger, Sonia Castro. Sonia is a mother to 2 girls, ages 3 and 12 weeks. She is a full-time public school first grade teacher who is currently home on maternity leave until the fall.
Note from FMS: check out Weekend Happenings in MA & RI on Facebook for a calendar of events!
Parents, in what ways do you incorporate quality-time with your child(ren) into your day?
Do the days start to overlap and before you know it your first born is in college and your youngest isn't a baby anymore.
Time has a way of passing us by. Each day brings new growth, new milestones and new chances to be amazed by our children. Yet, we miss many of those opportunities because we're too busy navigating through life.
Our children deserve to spend quality time with us. They need to see who we are behind all the hustle and bustle. They in turn will reveal to you who you truly are. It's not about how much time we spend with our kids that matter, but rather the moments we spend together. So what can you do to add
quality time into your already hectic schedule? Well, it's easy!
Use your daily activities to spend time together:
Meal Prep
Lunches have to be packed and dinner has to be made, right? This is a cheap and easy way to include your kids and spend genuine time talking together. Depending on the age of your children, there is a task that just about every age group can help with. Here are just a few of my ideas:
Infants- prop them up in a bouncer or high chair while you prepare tomorrow's lunches or tonight's dinner. Talk to them (yes they still listen at this age), sing to them, tell them what
you're doing.
Toddlers- sitting in a high chair/booster seat toddlers can join you in food prep. Give them a few toddler-friendly foods and plastic tupperware or ziploc bags to sort their items. While they sort you can sing favorite songs, practice counting together and chat.
Preschoolers- can help by kneeing on a chair or standing on a stool. This age is eager for any attention they can get! Give your preschooler a clean popsicle stick and a banana, using the popsicle stick as a tool to cut their banana into pieces as you cut veggies for a salad. Listen to them talk- all you can do is listen, they don't let you get a word in anyway. Ask questions about their day (use their senses to aid in questioning).
School-age children are more independent and make great assistants. These kiddos can help with food prep to setting the table. Give them things to do that make them feel capable and responsible. They can talk about their day in great detail. Ask about their friends, what they did at recess.
Tweens/Teens as we know make it difficult to peak their interests. You'll need to really make it worth their while. Plan themed dinner nights- taco night is my favorite. Very easy to put together, set up the table buffet style. While they're washing the vegetables, stacking the tortillas, mixing the salsa, grating the cheese, they may include you in what's happening at school. Ask questions in a "non-invasive" way, let your tween/teen guide the flow of the conversation. This is a great opportunity to learn about their friends, interests, fears, strengths/weakness. Taco Night eventually becomes something they look forward to (even though they might not tell you).
At- Home Movie Night
These can be as simple as tossing in a DVD and popping some popcorn or as crazy as a Pajama Party. Blockbuster Express and Redbox kiosk allow you to rent DVDs for as little as $1 a night. If that's still too much for your budget, borrow DVDs from the library or exchange them with a friend.
Kids can get bored with movies they already own. Swapping with other families gives them varieties to choose from and they may develop a liking for another type of movie in the process.
Your local library screams FREE
I've heard the rumor, "working parents have a harder time getting to the library than stay at home parents." I know the feeling I was one of those working moms who never made it to the children's room for story time. Every local library is different, hunt around. The closest library might not offer hours that fit your schedule, but the one in the town over just might.
What can you get for FREE at the library?
- Books of course
- Books on tape/CD
- DVDs (maybe VHS in some areas)
- Access to e-books
- Internet access if you don't have it at home
- Story hour for a variety of age groups
- Craft hour/seasonal activities
- Book clubs for older kids
- Summer reading contests
- Special events, speakers, kid-friendly visitors
- Passes to the zoo, aquarium, museums and many more
- Book sales (not free but you can purchase books cheap)
However you choose to spend time with your child(ren), remember to make it intentional and un-interrupted (no phone, Internet, distractions). This special time will foster trust and provide memorable moments that you'll never forget.
Parents, they simply need you.
Guest blog post by Weekend Happenings in MA & RI Blogger, Sonia Castro. Sonia is a mother to 2 girls, ages 3 and 12 weeks. She is a full-time public school first grade teacher who is currently home on maternity leave until the fall.
Note from FMS: check out Weekend Happenings in MA & RI on Facebook for a calendar of events!
Parents, in what ways do you incorporate quality-time with your child(ren) into your day?
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