Last week we mentioned that spending quality time is a key aspect of building healthy relationships with your children. Whether you are a busy working executive or a stay-at-home parent, you will end up juggling so many demands that you could possibly lose out on that special quality time. Remember the key phrase here is ‘quality’ – we can spend hours and hours in our children’s company and yet because we have so much on our minds we never actually give them our full attention. Like any relationship, the relationship with our children needs attention, time and space if it is to grow and develop. Here are some ideas to get together with your kids in a positive way that will foster this quality time.
1. Story time!
Even if they don’t like reading, most children (especially when they are younger), love to be told a story. Don’t just read but make up your own stories, or even better actively encourage their make believe games by participating in them.
2. Turn off the TV
Sitting together and watching TV can be fun and even educational at times, but it certainly is not a long-term ‘quality’ time option. Try to set aside some TV time to rather play board games or go for walks. There is no need to ban the TV entirely, just ensure it doesn’t dominate your free time as a family.
3. Eat together
The Bible has this powerful and beautiful theme of connecting people around food. Eating together is such a strong image of God-blessed togetherness and unity, that Jesus even instructed the church to forevermore share in bread and wine as a way to remember Him, and also to celebrate their unity in Him. Again this may not be possible every evening, but try to set aside regular time for eating together (even try regular picnics out). You will be surprised at the relationships that are built over such an event.
4. Help with the homework
While to your despair (and head-scratching confusion) you may already be helping out a fair bit with homework, why not commit yourself to being a positive and creative helper in this regard? Of course, this doesn’t mean doing your kids work for them, but rather assisting them to think, study and work for themselves in ways that are creative and beneficial.
5. Plan your holidays carefully
On top of ensuring that the family does get away together (when affordable of course), try to ensure that your holiday time is all about being together rather than separating to all do your own thing. Again balance is always needed, and certainly older children do need space from their parents, but this should not stop regular together times. Camping is a great (and cheap) option, especially for younger children. This back-to-basics style of holidaying has a way of bringing people together.