Our little guys and gals are precious little monsters. They take all of our money, all of our energy, and most of all, our patience.

None of that matters though. We love them and want to give them the world.

So what can we as parents do to make our children happy? Shower them with gifts? Take them on vacations? Give them hugs?

Kids Just Want ONE Thing

They want your attention.

It really is that simple. Your time and focus for a little while every day.

How To Make Time

You have hundreds of different things going on in life, and giving more time feels like a difficult task. How do you make time when you have dinner to fix, a house to clean, a job to go to, and bills to pay?

The simple answer, unplug and stand still.

It’s is amazing how hectic your mind can be and how hard it is to just stay in one spot, not working on adult stuff.

Start small. The first day, take five minutes to stay in one spot and really ask your child what their day was like. What went right? What went wrong? Ask how they are feeling right at the moment.

Life and responsibilities will still be there five minutes from now, but the time with your child is winding down. Take that five minutes while you can.

Just Do Something/ Anything

Your child will be excited to get almost any quality time from you. Whether it’s playing a card game or visiting a museum, to going on a walk, the time spent will be special.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Have breakfast together
2. Work a puzzle= word search, maze, jigsaw, crossword
3. Watch a movie together- with no other distractions like phones or tablets
4. Go on a “date”- Have a special dinner or lunch date and just talk together
5. Go on a walk at a local park
6. Spa day
7. Arts and crafts
8. Build a fort or teepee -Almost anyone can do this with just some sticks and a few blankets. Good for indoor and outdoor fun.
9. Plant a garden
10. Cook a meal
11. Collect items for donating around the neighborhood- then go donate it together
12. Any sport activity your child would like
13. Play on the playground together
14. Fly kites
15. Build a shelf from an old pallet- they will love having it displayed in the house
16. Go on a scavenger hunt
17. Gather wood together, then have a bonfire
18. Have an “unplugged” afternoon once a week- No electronic anything

More Involved Doesn’t Mean Less Time for You

How do you find that balance between responsibilities, family, and taking care of yourself? That is one of the biggest parenting questions. The funny thing is, taking those few minutes to spend time with your family will have the same affect on you as it does on your child. You will begin to feel more connected to them and less stressed out. You and your family will be happier together.