With how busy our lives have become, it can be hard to find some time to spend with our kids. However, finding the time is important because it provides an opportunity to bond with the kids in addition to helping form open channels of communication. Spending quality time with your kids also gives you opportunities to teach them some valuable life lessons and skills. Below, we will look at a few things you can do to carve out some time to spend with your kids.
Adjust Your Calendar
The only way to ensure you get some time to spend with your kids is by specifically setting some time aside to do so. You can start by looking at your calendar and making the necessary adjustments. Once you have a set block of time, you should put everything aside and not let anything get in the way.
Share a Hobby
Sharing a hobby with your kids is another great way to spend some quality time together. When doing this, you should start by finding something your kids like and that you have in common. This way, you will all be invested in making the hobby work. A good hobby should also have some reward at the end of it all. Trading authentic Japanese game cards is a great example of a hobby you can share with your kids. Here, you can encourage them to find the best cards online so they can trade them with others who have similar hobbies.
Leave Work at the Office
A major reason why many parents are not able to spend quality time with their kids is that they are distracted. The most common form of distraction in many cases is thinking about work. To ensure this does not happen, try to leave work at the office. Once you get home, everything should be about the kids.
It would also be a good idea to turn off work emails and notifications. Even if you make a conscious effort to leave work at the office, that doesn’t mean it cannot follow you home. Turning notifications off is a great way to ensure this does not happen.
How to Spend More Quality Time with Your Kids
Teach Them How to Play a Sport
Physical sports are a good way to spend some time with your kids as well as maintain your overall fitness. As with sharing a hobby with your kids, you should find some sports you like and that the kids are interested in. Many parents choose an easy game like basketball or hockey. Try to find a game that is competitive enough so your kids have something to look forward to after the sports sessions are done. One upside of doing this is that the sporting skills they gain from this can be carried over to school with qualities such as trying to win translating into real-life skills.
Prepare and Eat Meals with Your Kids
If you are too busy to carve out some extra time, cooking and eating with them could help. Here, you have an hour or two together while teaching them some cooking skills or even making this a hobby that all of you share.
When doing so, it is important to let the kids help as much as possible. This makes them feel they are part of the process and they are not just observing the process. You could try to find new recipes you can prepare so that you all always have something to look forward to for your cooking sessions.
Spending some quality time with your kids is very important as it can create trust, help improve communication, and give you an opportunity to teach them some life skills. When choosing something you can all take part in, ensure it is something you will all enjoy, and try to switch things up regularly so that none of you get bored.
