Why quality time is important
WHEN stretched between doing household chores and work, spending quality time with children is nearly impossible, especially for single parents.
But despite this, clinical psychologist Dr Pearnel Bell says that parents should take advantage of every minute that they get with their children, since this is an important part of their development.
“Parents should never be too busy for their children; this action would be tantamount to neglect. Children should be an active part of their parents’ lives,” Dr Bell said.
“It is important that parents set aside meal time, time to attend children’s school activities. Both parents could share duties with school events. Parents do not want to be so busy that children are not factored into their busy schedules. Some things are not negotiable and parents should ensure that they set time aside to make sure that children get quality time with them that will ultimately enrich the children’s lives.”
Below Dr Bell shares a list of activities that parents could engage their children in so as to maximise time spent together even when they’re carrying the world on their shoulders. These include:
1. Using car rides to talk about topics that are important to your children
“Listen to their concerns and their opinions and use this time to follow up about concerns that your child expressed in the past,” she said.
2. Engaging them while completing chores
Dr Bell said parents should allow children to help them. “You can help them to learn something new while spending time with them. Chores like folding clothes and cleaning the house is convenient for this,” she said.
3. Using index cards to leave little notes for the child
Leave notes whether it is to engage them in a game, to remind them how much you love them, or to encourage them. “That way, even though you can’t be there, they get a positive reminder at school. The same can be done at home. Leave it among their favourite toys or gadgets, or at a place you know they are fond of,” Dr Bell said.
4. Using dinner time to engage them
Dr Bell said dinner time is a good time to engage your children and a great way to have family meetings too.
5. Exercising together
“You can stay healthy together as a family. Skip and do other simple exercises with your children instead of going for long jogs alone or with friends all the time. This is a good way to bond and to have fun at the same time,” Dr Bell said.
6. Aiming to get home by your children’s bedtime
The clinical psychologist said there is no better way to get a picture of your children’s thoughts and perception of the world than through their ideas when reading. “It’s a good time to cuddle and offload kisses on the little ones,” she said. “More than the presence of anyone else, children look forward to seeing their parents, and so special arrangements should be made at work. It is important for employers to see just how important making it to events at which children will perform are to employees who are parents, so that when the time comes around they will less likely give parents a hard time with getting time off.”
