Pressed for time? Simple ways to spend quality time with your children

Since I returned to work full-time we’ve had to rely on a support system to help care for our girls. I often wonder if I spend enough quality time with them. It’s a hard question to ask myself since I always had at least one parent home throughout my entire childhood. However, I quickly learned that even though my time with my girls is limited, it can still be just as meaningful.

Quality time with your children can be anything – arts and crafts, reading or taking a walk. Over the years, my focus has shifted from the number of hours I spend with my children to what we do during that time. That’s what matters the most to them. They don’t want (or need) an extravagant activity or outing. They want my time and attention, and if we can have some fun then that’s even better! 

During the week, our quality time is at the dinner table and then at night reading bedtime stories. Regardless of what’s for dinner, we make it a point to eat as a family. Dinner is a time for my husband and I to hear all about their day. Everyone has a chance to recap their day (the girls even ask what we did at work), but the focus is mainly on the girls. They talk about what they did, how they did on tests, activities, issues and upcoming school events. Reading at night is another way for us to have quality time. Most of the time we read, but sometimes my oldest daughter uses it as an opportunity for us to talk.

My other favorite time is when we go camping as a family or anytime we are outdoors. My girls love the outdoors! Camping provides us time to reconnect with each other without the distraction of the TV, tablets, phones or texts. The time is spent doing what the girls love – swimming, riding bikes, playing, catching bugs, canoeing and making s’mores. Some of our best memories involve the outdoors.



Making the most of the winter weather.

Metroparent offers some great tips on how working moms can create quality time with their children.

When I started to think about the time I was spending time with my girls, I realized we do have a lot of quality time together. For us, our quality time is in the simple things.

How do you spend quality time with your child/children? What advice can you share?