MY AHA! MOMENT: Quality time with my Little Love.

 Read in an article:

 “Add up all the time your kids spend with other people and activities that DO NOT include you?”

As a working parent, this HITS me hard…Picture this: You have been at work all day, you get home, you may or may not be the one making dinner, you eat, you send your child to their playroom or to watch TV so you can put the dishes away, clean the kitchen, return someone’s phone call...Then your kid needs a bath and it’s bed time.  The reality is...this happens in MOST households.

In this routine, did you get QUALITY time in with your child? 

She loves to play with my camera!

My husband and I work full time and we have different schedules, so I absolutely look forward to days we get to spend together as a family. We love our quality time. But on working days, I realize that I can easily fall into the habit of trying to get things done around the house before our Little Love goes to bed. Over the past  year, I have made a conscious effort to spend more QUALITY time with her. I now do a lot of chores after I lay her down for bed. (Upside: This allows me much needed quiet time with my favorite music or perhaps a glass of wine).  

Little Love & her Daddy painting a flower pot.

Now, between dinner and lights out,  we try to read books together; watch her favorite show together while we cuddle and I ask her questions about it;  sit out in the back yard and explore together; walk to the playground together; play with her toys together; draw together; and we loooove music in our house so of course we dance around together! If I have to clean, she too gets out her vacuum and her little broom and helps out(she loves this).

Notice I said the word “TOGETHER!” We get so busy with our lives and we constantly think that the house has to be in order right at that very moment, but what about QUALITY time with our children?

 “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

Getting quality time in while waiting for dinner

 

.

 

 Now, I have always loved this quote but never  associated this with time spent with my child until now. You see, I tell my daughter 100 things a day (feels that way). Some things she remembers, some things blow over her head like a feather in the wind in every direction. I realized yesterday that my daughter is excellent at remembering MOMENTS and how things made her FEEL. In one week, my daughter has told me that the ice cream truck made her feel happy and she and her friends laughed as they picked out their icy cone colors. She remembered when someone at school hurt her feelings, she remembered that gardening with Daddy was fun. She told me she liked it when I played castle with her on the floor and I was silly mommy. 

Sat. morning container gardening.

As I looked at this beautiful child, I had an AHA! MOMENT (to steal a line form Oprah). This is something so SIMPLE…these moments do not have to cost money; it does not take a lot of time…just simply give your child…QUALITY TIME. Many will say, “Well, we spent the whole day together or I had the kids all day…” But how was your time spent? Were you running around town doing errands and they were just along for the ride? Were they simply in the same house while you did other things? Were you looking at your smart phone at dinner?  (This is something I cut off this past week...guilty as charged!). Yes, I am sometimes this person because we have to do stuff out of necessity. Errands need to get done, you have to take a phone call, and you have to put the dirty dishes away…I defnitely understand this. But I would not make it a daily habit. If they have to go with you on errands, make it FUN! Sing in the car, play I spy, etc…MAKE THE TIME!

Not every day will be perfect, but if you learn to spend some quality time with your child, I truly believe that they will remember it when they are older and have children of their own. They will remember how you made them FEEL. This is how bonds are created.    

The article I read went on to say that instead of worrying about how many minutes you can spend with your child each day, focus on turning those moments into MEMORABLE MOMENTS. I LOVE  this!

My Little Love...

 Some of OUR moments:

• Turning the TV off and turning the music on…we love to dance and sing!  
• Drawing, coloring, and crafting (OK, crafting is not my strong point but I try because she loves it).
• Telling each other stories.
• If I have to clean while she is awake, she helps sweep! . Children love to help!
• Play “her” games! Get on the floor and play puzzles, etc. An activity that requires interaction, talking…
• Go for a walk together. 
• Explore in your neighborhood. Plants, bugs, etc.
• Read a book and get animated!
• Hug fests! "Hugging your child can make them feel special and cared for. It can lift their spirits if they are anxious or upset."
• Homework help. "Children love personal attention and you get to keep up with what they are doing in school."
• Night time prayers…together.