Balancing time with children

Recently I read research report on how spending quality time with kids have a positive effect on children’s mental health.

With the busy high energy consuming jobs, extensive work demand, to achieve success and to attain stability in financial life we all need to work many hours a day. It is very difficult to take out a specific amount time everyday for kids.
We often unknowingly ignore our family time.

However we need to keep in mind that
‘Our children get only one childhood, we need to make it memorable for them’.

Here are few things I make sure I do with my kid:

Having a schedule for me and my daughter

Evening 2-3 hours are exclusively for her : this time could be for any daily activities with her like, reading a book, colouring, playing some games, bathing, shopping groceries etc.

No screen time

Here, I refer to parents screen time, since the arrival of these smart phones, unknowingly our fingers and eyes are always scrolling down.
It’s such a shame to laugh at a joke from social media when your children are saying funny things to you.
Once, 2 years ago my daughter came up to me one day when she was little and could not talk much, in anger she took my phone away and threw it.
That minute I was buried in guilt, could’t imagine myself on my daughters emotion towards me.
Since then NO to screen time when she around me.

Engaging in regular house activities

When you engage your children with yourself in doing house chores, they feel you are actively involved with them. I involve my daughter in all activities like cooking, cleaning , plantation, watering plants and even when I have to shop groceries online I ask what would she like to have in the shopping basket.

She loves it.

Allow them to speak

Kids speak a lot, we all know that.
Encouraging them by just listening will make huge impact on their mental health in long run.
They feel confident in expressing their thoughts in front of you when they grow up.

All days cannot be same and it’s fine to be like that. At least try doing this intentionally on majority of the days often will have a great positive impact on their physical and mental growth.

Dont leave any regrets for old age.

‘Small moments in time creating memories that last a lifetime’.