Quality Time with Your Children

What is your quality time with your children when it is cold outside and they are tired of playing alone? Do you respond to your children’s boredom by turning on the television or using the smart phone for entertainment? Many parents are so busy with their daily responsibilities that they may only talk or play with their children less than twenty minutes a day. Some parents do not see their children during the work week due to long commutes. Working parents may only have weekends available to play with their children. Solutions to the limited time available for quality time with your children each day include the following:

1. For one week, track the number of minutes you were able to talk, play, or read to your children each day.
2. Be conscious of how you can increase the communication time with your children through phone calls or video chats using a smart phone or computer.
3. Consider how you can adjust your schedule and errands to maximize your time with your children.
4. During meal times, focus your attention on individual family members. Engage each member in conversation.
5. Read a story to your children and have them discuss the story with you.
6. At bed time, spend 15 minutes with each child. Do not judge when the child reflects on the day’s events.
7. Ask your child to tell you one good thing that happened at school and one thing that did not work out. Ask your child about the response to the challenging situation.
8. As the child shares daily activities, the parent can share daily challenges and successes.
9. Remind your children that tomorrow is a brand new day and they can shape it into whatever they want it to be.
10. Use quality time with your children to stay informed of their daily challenges.

Warm regards,

Carole

Copyright (c) 2016 by GenParenting

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Carole Flowers, Health