This week's topic:
Question: How do you spend quality time with your child or children?
I often think about this very topic as I don't feel I spend enough quality time with my two girls, especially with Maya. As a working mother who spends 45 hours a week minimum outside of the home, there is little time left over in the day to spend with my family. The time I do have seems to be filled up with dinner, baths, and our bed-time routine which is brushing teeth, changing clothes, and reading a book. Not only is our time very limited, but I am exhausted.
The time we do have is spent together but I don't feel it is quality time but what is the definition of quality time? One can argue eating dinner as a family and reading books before bed-time as quality time. These things we do almost daily but I don't feel we use the rest of the time wisely. Let's take the other night - we ran an errand right after dinner, took quick baths and then watched 30 minutes of American Idol. Is that quality time?
How does one maximize his/her time when it is so limited? Thankfully spring is finally here and we can start enjoying the outdoors. For some reason, it seems easier to spend quality time together as a family when you can get outside and enjoy the weather versus being cooped up indoors.
What do you think?
1 comments:
Running errands, watching American Idol...are all time spent with your little ones. Running errands are great learning experiences for them and cuddling to American Idol is priceless! Cooking together would be another fun,bonding learning time. We have four kids and have implemented "date night", which is a one-to-one night we take with each child individually. The focus is on that child and where they want to eat, play, or whatever. You could also have a baking/cooking day, where you prepare and freeze lots of food to free up daily dinner times. (I've not yet tried this myself...I need too) My older kids and I enjoy a nightly 10 min. devotional. It is a great one-to-one time and I can check their comprehension, while talking about important topics. American Girl books are great too because they focus on being strong and confident in this pressure filled society today. My all time favorite thing to do is making our family's "special plate" once a year. Basically each Christmas vacation we, as a group of kids, make a special plate (you can do this at home or at a pottery store). It is a keepsake, but even more so it serves as a discussion at meals each night. The plate rotates to each person in the family. After our prayer, we tell the person with the special plate something we love about them, are proud of, etc... When guests come, they get the plate too. Each person at dinner also shares one high and one low of the day! It is fun. I'm anxious to read what others post.
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