8 Ways to Make More Time for Your Kids ...

By Aprille

8 Ways to Make More Time for Your Kids ...

Kids go from Toddler to Teen in a record amount of time. It seems like one minute you are handing them a sippy cup and the next they are asking to borrow the car. So you can squeeze as much time with your kids into your life, here are some helpful tips. The following 8 ways to make more time for your kids give you many choices to choose from. They will be all grown up and off to have a family of their own before you know it!

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8

Put a Limit on the Number of Things You do Alone

Alone time is always necessary for parents to partake in from time to time, but make sure you don’t spend too much time away from your kids. If you can allot a specific amount of time each day or even stick to doing your own thing just a couple of times a week, then you’ll be able to have more time with your kids. I always tell myself that there will be plenty of time for me later on. My boys are both juniors and I keep thinking about how much I’ll miss having them here every day when they head off to college.

7

Don’t Spend so Much Time in Front of the Television

Just because you all sit around the television as a family doesn’t mean this should count as quality time together. You may be hanging out with the kids, but there really isn’t much interaction going on. Unless you are using the television to play one of those interactive games that requires you all to work together, sitting in front of the television seems like a waste of precious time to me.

6

Have Them Help with Dinner Preparation

Kids of any age can help with preparing meals. Whether they are assisting with the actual cooking part of the meal or simply placing napkins and silverware on the table, this gives you a chance to chat with one another. Catch up on what they’ve been doing in school or find out if there’s any new news they want to share with you.

5

Read Together before Bed Time

I know that this only works with kids within a certain age group. I wouldn’t expect my teenagers to humor me and allow me to read to them before they go to bed. They might think that was a very odd request on my part! It is possible to engage little kids in reading, whether you read to them or have them read a book to you. Reading is a great way to relax and spend time together before heading to bed.

4

Designate at Least One Night as ‘Family Night’

If you all have busy schedules, then this can be a difficult arrangement to make. You might have to have Family Night on a Wednesday one week and on a Tuesday on another week, but do what you can to make it happen. Family Night can consist of anything you want, as long as you are all participating as a family. Go play some miniature golf, eat out at your favorite restaurant, play a board game or two, or sit and share some stories.

Famous Quotes

Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.

Niccolò Machiavelli
3

Exercise Together

You don’t necessarily have to all train for a marathon, but do something that involves a little bit of physical activity. Go for a bike ride, participate in water aerobics at the local rec center pool, take the dog for a walk, or toss a Frisbee around out in the backyard. Get the blood pumping and use up some of that built up energy!

2

Make the Weekends Count

Have a big pancake breakfast, enjoy brunch together, or go on an outing together. Do something that you all can participate in and that you all will enjoy. Take a family vote sometimes so that everyone has a say in what you all decide to do on the weekend. You could come up with a tradition that takes place each weekend, such as a pancake breakfast on Sundays. It gets harder and harder to keep the family excited about spending a day on the weekend together as the kids get older. Enjoy your weekends with the kids while they last.

1

Limit the Amount of Time Kids Spend Away from Home

Keeping kids involved in extracurricular activities is good for them, but only to a certain extent. Sure, enrolling them in sports is beneficial for their health and for improving social skills, but it’s just as important for them to spend time with their family as well. Set a limit as to how many activities your kids can do after school. This will not only keep them from getting too burned out, but it will also provide you with more time with them.

Maybe these 8 ways to make more time for your kids will help you and your family spends more time together. What are some methods you currently use to get as much time with your kids as possible?

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