You can find serenity for your family by spending alone time with each child. Most parents who have more than one child know that one of the most precious gifts you can give a child is one on one attention. Very often in families with one or more children parents spend time with children in a group rather than on a one on one basis. When you are part of a multi-child family your children often will get only a very little private time with you. Quality of life in your family will get better if your children feel special, loved and are able to have private time with you.
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Being a parent to more than one child is challenge for a variety of reasons including:
- children crave attention
- children want to feel special
- children want to feel their valued
- children want confirmation that their parents love them
- there are a finite number of hours in each day
- there is a finite amount of energy each parent has at any particular time
By spending time with your children on a one on one basis you are able to satisfy all these desires. The great thing about one on one time with your children is that you do not have to spend a lot of time or do a lot of expensive things in order to satisfy a child’s desire for one on one attention. The following are a few activities I have done with my children that made them feel special:
- ask child set the table to for dinner as you prepare dinner
- have your child read you a story as you drive to errands
- take your child to the local coffee shop to watch movies on your phone, tablet or laptop computer
- let your child help pay bills by picking a bill from the pile to be paid next
- brag to your child about a work accomplishment
- allow your child to sit and tell you her favorite thing that happened at school each day
- get one child up a few minutes earlier than the rest for hot chocolate time
- allow one child to stay up a few minutes later to share secrets
As this list shows, there are a lot of things you can do easily to give a child a little one on one attention and make the child feel special all at the same time. So, the question for you this serene day is, what are your tips for giving your children each one on one time and making them feel special?
Great advice, I love that making special time for each child can be done right at home with a bit of extra thought and planning. It doesn’t have to be a grand outing, instead it is often in quiet moments together that we can delight in our children.
Holly, you are right. One of the best things about spending time with children is that for most things you don’t need a lot of money, just time.
This is such a good plan! I need to do this with my oldest more often. With him in school, I feel like we lose our one-on-one time!
Two of the children told me this morning how much they love on on time with their dad and I. It is such a little thing that gives such big results.
Yes, love this! I try to do it, and try to remind myself that it’s not always bad to leave one out of something.
Sometimes I feel bad when one gets left out, but then I remember that person’s turn in the spotlight is coming.
Great ideas. It can be difficult sometimes to make time for each child privately – but even a quick snuggle on the fly can work wonders.
You are right, it is difficult but even the quick little special times are wonderful.
these are great tips, alone time is so important.
I am glad you liked it.
I love this! We are trying to do this a lot more one on one time with our kids. They thrive when it occurs. Thank you for the reminder
Glad I could help. I am now working on keeping a little cheat sheet for each kid because it is sometimes hard to remember all the little things they like to do and want to do at hangout time!