Giving Children the Time They Need 

What does spending quality time with your children mean? Paying undivided attention to your kids and engaging in tasks that they love to do.

Some parents think that spending quality time with their kids takes a lot of work and that they need to make it something grand. However, it doesn’t always have to be that way.

Importance of giving time to children

Some parents might wonder why it is even necessary to set aside time for their kids. After all, you already provide for them and they know that you care about them. However, giving your children the quality time they need is emotionally and psychologically beneficial.

For instance, research indicates that children who spend quality time with their families are less prone to engaging in risky behaviors such as alcohol and drug usage.

Spending time showing your children that you care also improves their emotional and mental development. Spending quality time with the kids is even important for parents’ emotional and psychological well-being.

Tips for giving your children the time they need

Quality over quality

The time you spend with your children shouldn’t be primarily based on reaching a set number of hours, but instead on what you make of the time. Instead of waiting till you can spend several hours with your child, take the few minutes that you can and be fully present with them, physically and mentally.

While you talk, look them in the eye, listen to them, respond to them, and ensure that your interactions engage them and make them happy.

Feel free to ask your kids what they want to do or suggest something that you know they’ll like. You could walk to the park with them, color a picture together, or read a book.

You can spend some time talking to your kids about their days and even tell them about yours. This could happen right after you pick them up from school or while you’re making dinner.

It could either be a spontaneous conversation or something planned in your schedule, depending on what works best for you.

Allow them to have break time

Beyond spending time with your kids, giving them time to themselves when they feel overwhelmed is something you can do for them.

Some kids don’t know how to take breaks or ask for them when they are tired or overwhelmed, which can easily lead to them throwing tantrums. Parents can prevent this by suggesting their kids spend time alone – not as a punishment, but as a cooling-off mechanism.

Many parents fail to understand that their young kids might need time to unwind, but, if you are open-minded enough, you will find the right times to give them some space to learn how to handle situations alone.

Give them time to transition

Unlike adults, kids don’t know how to quickly switch from one activity to another. Expecting them to make such transactions easily and rushing them from task to task isn’t the best thing to do.

Kids often stall and complain in between scheduled activities, but that would change if you give them the time to respond to the changes at their own pace.

Instead of suddenly telling them to drop their toys and go right to bed, giving them time to transition means telling them that they have 15 more minutes before they need to stop playing. It is the same for bedtime after a movie. Let them know how much time there is until bedtime to avoid them grumbling if you were to just ask them to go to bed.

Extra tips to keep in mind

Find and hire a live-in nanny. Such nannies can give your baby much more time.

Spend time connecting to your children on a daily basis. You can do so face to face, over the phone, or by leaving notes.

Express your love to your children and appreciate them when they do something right to reinforce positive behaviors.

Spend time talking to your kids both individually and as a family to build both personal bonds and team spirit.

Allow your kids to choose the activities in which they want to engage during the time you spend together.

Tell jokes with your kids and laugh often. Laughter is great for mood improvement, bonding, and happiness.

Reduce the time you and your kids spend with technology; instead, spend that time talking to them.

Connecting with your children and giving them the time they need should be your priority as a parent. This helps your kids develop emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. It also supports family bonding in many ways.

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