By Prakriti Garg
Are you wondering how to balance your work-life and spend more time with your kids? We all know life is busier than ever. And it's okay to worry about spending enough time with your children because it shows you care. As a parent, it's normal to struggle with wanting to do other "grown up" things, like when you'd rather not stay at home another night, or if you work full time, want to have dinners with friends, or enjoy time surfing through social media. It's healthy to try and figure out how to do what's meaningful and renewing, as long as you keep the importance of spending time with your child a top priority as well.
Children need high-quality time with their parents and guardians. A recent study shows that the amount of time you spend with your children does affect your kids' academic, mental and emotional well-being. As parents, you know it's important to find ways to secure high-quality time with your children. So here are ten tips for working parents like you to spend that kind of quality time with your kids.
Playing games together increases bonding with your kids. So play some video games, board games, or have fun dancing together. Whether indoors, outdoors, or online, games are a fun way to bond with your kids. When playing indoor or online games, prepare your snacks, put on some music, and hit play. Studies have found that families who play or do activities together share a stronger emotional bond.
Have dinner with your children whenever possible. Every little bit of time you spend together makes a positive impact. No matter how tired or stressed you are, try not to skip dinner with your kids. Ask your children to share about their day. Spending quantity of time is not always required. It's spending quality time and making a meaningful connection that is enough to make your children happy.
Just a 30 minute walk in the morning or evening can help you spend some quality time with your child. If you live close enough, try walking together to get some groceries, or maybe a night walk to the ice cream parlor. As they walk with you, they will also learn safety or, when shopping for groceries how to responsible. These skills learned 'along the way' will build their confidence and help them feel good.
Take time away from social media for half an hour and focus on being present with your children. Your time and attention is one of the greatest things you can give to your kids. Put your gadgets away and spend time together by doing favorite hobbies, sports, read books, watch a movie, or some other favorite fun activities together. Parents, like every adult, can tend to spend so much time connected to our devices, that it can make the bond and connection with our kids and loved ones suffer.
We all know how toys can break and need fixing. Rather than a drudgery, this makes a great opportunity, because children love to help fix things. Make it a point to leave your office work for later, and take up these fixing tasks together. "Fixing things together with your children allows you to be a part of their daily conversations", says Tom, who provides pay someone to do my math homework services for students. You can also teach your child some basic and practical tips on life and taking care of things, which will help them grow. And best of all, it allows you to get helpful tasks done while spending time interacting with your kids.
"Children need to be nurtured and guided along the right path", says Brian, who provides write my coursework services for kids of all ages. Exercising together will help them get physically and mentally strong. When you choose this option, you spend time with your family, but also teach them healthy habits. You can join a local gym, or work out at home with the equipment you have. Teach simple exercises to your kids, foster their health and well-being, and spend quality time working out yourself - it's a win for everyone.
Spending time together allows your children to learn values from you. When you spend time with your family talking, you will have the opportunity to explore topics of interest and questions they may have. You can also create opportunities to learn key values through sharing bedtime stories. Kids always love to hear something interesting, so tell them tales of your life. A good bedtime story, retelling a fun story from your childhood, having a deeper, moral discussion with older kids, even watching and talking about a movie together, or listening to their favorite songs and dancing - these activities can never be outdated, and are all great opportunities for connecting more.
Make memories with your children and have a good laugh by taking pictures together. When you do this with your kids it will make them realize that they matter to you. Photographs and videos can become cherished souvenirs; they were 'back in the day' and they still are. So, take a selfie with your child, or make a one-second video. You’ll never know how much it would mean to your child to have this kind of creative fun. "Photos are something that you will appreciate together as a family", says William, who provides online exam helper services for kids, teens and adults.
When you spend time with your family, you get to know your children better. Laugh and crack jokes with your kids. Having family in your life who love you is a blessing. So, spread happiness and enjoy each other’s company. Start laughing at their jokes, or ask them to tell something funny that happened at their school, and bond with your kids through laughter.
By simply telling your kids how much you love them, you can keep your children emotionally strong. Let your kids feel the connection with you. Appreciate them for doing well in their academics or extra-curricular activities. Your love can make a long-lasting impact on them as they grow into contributing adults in the future. Connect daily with your children and express your love however you do it best - with words, time, gifts, helping them out, or even surprising them at school with chocolates and cupcakes.
Remember - If you want to be in your child's memories tomorrow, you have to spend time with them today.
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