You should cherish every second that you get to spend with your kids at home. There will come a time where they leave the nest. That might be many decades from now, but before then they will start to stray from home more often. As your kids get older, they like to go out and play with friends and spend more time alone in their rooms. It’s a natural part of growing up, and I’m sure you were the same.
There’s not an awful lot you can do to change this, so there’s no need to think about it. Why dwell on an unsolvable problem? Instead, focus on the here and now. You’ve got lots of time at home with your children, so start making the most out of it!
You’ll kick yourself if your kids grow up and you feel like you should’ve spent more time with them. With that in mind, let’s look at how you can really get the most out of this time together:
Baking
Baking is a super-fun way to spend quality time with your kids. It gets them involved in something enjoyable and messy. Kids love mess – as I’m sure you’re all too aware! So, they relish the chance to get stuck into some messy baking. Then, they can enjoy eating what they’ve baked; it’s a win-win from their perspective.
There are loads of amazing things to bake with kids, and I’ve linked a video down below that you can check out. The trick is finding the balance between safety and keeping your kids involved. You don’t want to get them to do everything as it might be unsafe. Equally, you shouldn’t take full control as they don’t feel involved and will get bored. So, a good rule of thumb is to let them handle the simple tasks like mixing, melting, or decorating. Meanwhile, you handle things like cutting or putting stuff in the oven.
Exercising
Yes, you can exercise with your kids. Obviously, you don’t want to put them through some intense circuit workout! Be reasonable here, and stick to things that are more child-friendly. One excellent idea is yoga. This is easy for kids to follow along and challenging enough to keep them engaged. You can sit together in the living room or go outside and enjoy the open air. It’s a wonderful way to start the day – or to end an evening.
One of the benefits of yoga is that it should help your children relax and calm down a bit. Naturally, this makes it easier to handle! From your perspective, it’s also a real tension easer. If you’ve been struggling to sleep, then a yoga session with your child every evening is the perfect way to nod off into dreamland.
Watching a series
Kids love to watch TV, so why don’t you get involved with them. Instead of allowing your child to watch anything and everything, you can watch a series together. With the arrival of Disney Plus, there are loads of child-friendly TV shows that you can both enjoy. Make your way through all the episodes of a series, and you will feel your bond grow stronger and stronger. This is a brilliant idea for kids of all ages as well. Teens and young adults will happily sit down and start watching a series with you!
The great thing about modern entertainment is that we have endless streaming options available. If you finish your series, there will always be another to try. I’ve even heard that a new social app gets you better recommendations for shows based on what your friends enjoy and suggest. So, you have lots of ways of finding out the next best thing to watch with your kids.
Ironically, watching a series with your kids can actually stop them from watching loads of TV. They start to look forward to your TV time, and they don’t want to watch anything else throughout the day.
Playing games
One of the best things about being a kid is that you have so many games to play. However, one of the worst things is having no-one to play with. Usually, your instinct is to not play with your child. It’s not because you don’t love them, it’s just that you have other things to do. Washing the dishes seems like a more important task than playing with your kids. But, by the time you’ve finished, you have to put your kids to bed or they’ve moved on to something else.
As such, it’s time to start prioritizing playtime! Sit and play games with your kids whenever you have the chance (within reason, of course). It is a brilliant way to relax and have fun together. Your child won’t feel as lonely, and you will share a fair few laughs with them. There are endless games you can play with your kids, depending on how old they are. That’s the beauty of games – they can be scaled to different ages. You can buy them online, or you can make them up yourself. Either way, you will pass the time and bond with your kids by playing with them.
Reading
Okay, this is specifically for parents with young children. If your child has an amazing attention span, then you might be able to sit and read with them throughout the day. However, this tip is more to use at night. Reading to your kids before bed is such a magical thing to do. It helps them relax, and it lets you eke out some extra time with them.
Remember, it won’t be long until they no longer want these bedtime reading sessions. Kids grow up so fast, so take advantage of this time while you have it.
You don’t want to be one of those parents that look back at life with regrets. Your children are only young once, and they will soon spend less time with you at home. Make the most of it while you have the chance!