5 Simple Ways To Make Time For Kids And Why It Is Essential To Do So

You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once.

                                                                             -Polish proverb

Spending time with family is one of the best gifts you can give to your child. Family time instils a sense of worth and prepares him for the uncertainties of life. Additionally, when your child is well-rooted in family values, he becomes more capable of coping with life’s challenges. However, when it comes to spending time together, quality is undoubtedly more important than quantity as spending quality time daily with your child is what will make him feel connected and secure. Taking a keen interest in his day-to-day activities, knowing his friends’ circle and helping with his school work are ways that you can establish a direct and transparent bond with your young one. Moreover, as a role model, you may impact his behaviour and outlook on life more than you can imagine. Unbeknownst to you, your parenting style may influence his own when he becomes a parent in the future.

Making time for your kids is easier said than done keeping in mind the fast-paced nature of our lives. But your child gets only one childhood, and you need to make the most of it. We have illustrated below how spending time with your child can benefit and shape his life and some simple ways of introducing time for kids in your busy schedule.

1. Builds self-esteem and shapes character

The family is the first place of interaction in your child’s life. So, the values and belief systems incorporated in the family dynamic has lasting effects on his dealings with the society at large. Also, your child looks up to you so your interaction with him and others can really influence the way he treats people in general. As a parent, you can teach him essential life values like fairness, kindness, and humility which will ultimately shape his character in the long run.   

Asking your child about his day’s activities over dinner is an ideal way of showing interest in his life. By spending time with him, you can help solve his problems, make him feel valued, thus boosting his self-esteem in the process. When your kid has self-esteem, he will find it easier to mingle with his peers and build and sustain meaningful relationships in his later life.

2. Reinforces positive behaviour

By spending exclusive time as a family, you are bonding and developing trust with your child. So he knows that he can count on you during times of trouble. When you can have open and direct conversations with your child on age-related issues, he is more likely to stay out of fights and trouble in general. Kids who are well grounded in the family find healthier outlets for venting their emotions rather than acting out in unhealthy ways.   

Kids are full of energy and are always curious in nature. Make the most of it by involving them in age-appropriate chores in the family where everyone gets to engage with each other. It will help them direct their energy in the right way. For instance, cleaning the house on weekends can become a family activity involving everyone, where you put on your favourite music and enjoy each other’s company.

3. Healthy mind and body

Your child is born with an innate drive for your attention; therefore by spending time with family, he will feel wanted, heard and valued. By spending time together, you can also ensure a more-happy-and-less-worrisome childhood for him. As a result, a healthy emotional state will manifest in a healthy mind and body.  

Family time for kids shouldn’t be limited to the confines of your home. When you enjoy outdoor trips and adventures as a family, you feel recharged to welcome the daily routine more positively. Going on family trips together, visiting local places over the weekend and playing sports as a team renews the familial bond. Therefore, you should definitely invest in breaking the clutter of a monotonous life by engaging in fun and stimulating activities.

4. Creates memories

Family time is indispensable because of all the memories you create. When kids grow up and get busy in their personal lives, the time spent together as a family becomes limited. Pleasant memories rooted in childhood lay the foundation for a more secure and unruffled disposition in adults. Also, positive memories created with the family will help your child tide through life’s unpredictability with ease.

When you celebrate festivities, birthdays and anniversaries together as a family, you are actually creating picture-perfect moments that will be enshrined in your child’s memory for a lifetime. Also, investing in exclusive time for kids’ creative activities will help spark their imagination which will serve them well in the later years.

5. Improves academic performance

Research has shown that parents who follow a strict rule about less screen time for kids will inevitably witness their child becoming more productive at school. Furthermore, it is vital to creating an inclusive environment where your child feels safe to share his problems with you. A steady parent-child bond will assure your child that he has a safety net that he can rely upon at all times. Also having less stress will translate to improved focus and concentration at any given task and will help him perform better in academic situations.

Reading to your child from a young age has a multitude of benefits. It will undoubtedly improve his communication skills and vocabulary making it easier for him to match steps with his school curriculum. By helping him with his homework, you can enhance his problem-solving skills and make him confident in facing the challenges of competitive school life.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, in the current scenario, many parents tend to compensate for their lack of presence by inundating their child with materialistic things. Although you have good intentions, it ends up sending across a wrong message that love can be replaced with physical things. All your child looks for is love and support, and it is truly irreplaceable in his life. Indeed, spending time with your child every day can make a world’s difference in his life.

If you have found this article informative and helpful or if you have any suggestions, kindly sound off in the comments section below. We would love to help our readers cope with these situations and grow together as a community.