Photo credit What could you change in just one day? Many of us accept the various status quo in our lives because we don’t feel that we have the time, energy to change them. But that approach couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, many things can completely change in the space of 24 hours, and we have the ability to affect positive changes in our lives even in such a small amount of time. One of the things a lot of people wish to improve is their relationship with their children – and even this is possible in a short space of time. Modern families tend to have fast-paced schedules, with jobs, school commitments and children’s hobbies leaving little space for simple togetherness. Focusing on reconnecting is hugely important amid all this rush – and the good news is it doesn’t need a pricey vacation. It needs you, your child and 24 hours.
Get Involved in Their Games
Often, we rush through our lives ticking of chores, mealtimes, bath and bedtime like some robot. And while routines and consistency are hugely important for a child’s emotional development, so too is allowing time for unstructured play. Often, we are guilty of dismissing this as unimportant or inconsequential, but the truth is far from that. Creative play allows children to discover more about the world, work through their feelings and develop their thoughts. So next time your child begins a game of imaginative play, why not simply join in? Surrender to the moment and create some bonding time.
Take Them On A Day Out
Days out are one of the fondest childhood memories many of us have, so it’s only right to prioritise them using vacation time or weekends. A day out can range from a simple trip to the ice-cream parlour, or taking a picnic to the beach, to a theatre show or event. Use The Ticket Merchant to alert you to deals on exciting events coming up in your area, or think about ways to make the every day memorable. You don’t have to spend lots of cash – simply going on a bug safari or a trip to the library can be special if you make it.
Talk About Their Feelings
Helping our children to work through and talk about their emotions is a valuable gift, and can do a lot to make them feel closer to you. Many of us don’t feel comfortable talking about these topics, but we owe it to our kids to find out how to get comfortable with talking about emotions. They need our guidance to successfully navigate complex situations that they may not have words for. It will help them to feel understood, heard and supported and let them know that they can always come to you with any problems. Use easy-to-understand, age-appropriate examples from your own life to show them how to resolve their challenges.
Get Them Involved
If you do have urgent chores that can be put off, make sure you get the kids involved. Instead of being something you have to ignore them to get done, include them in for a shared sense of accomplishment and purpose. Give them a small, supervised part of the task to do themselves. It may end with taking a little longer, but it means you’re spending time together working towards a goal – and you get to tick a job off your list while spending time with them too.
