4 Simple Ways to Connect with Your Kids Every.Single.Day. {Includes Video}
Between school and work and activities, family life can get really busy, really fast. Personally, I felt this way - even as a stay at home mom that was home with her kids all day - there would be days that flew by with errands and chores, cooking and cleaning, that I never stopped to truly connect with my kids in a meaningful way.
I wasn't showing my kids how much I loved them every day and they were reacting by throwing tantrums and not listening well. I was allowing my overstressed emotions to control me. I became a nagging and overbearing parent I never imagined myself to be. I knew I had to fix something when I felt this strain in our relationship. I didn't want to live our days in fast forward, checking off the to-do-list and not enjoying simple moments with my kids. I wanted to build lasting memories with my kids through a life that is filled with moments. Moments that are fun and loving and joyful. The moments our kids will actually remember. Through a shift in mindset and a lot of intentionalities, my husband and I have been able to reconnect with our kids. I'm so happy to share that our bond is stronger than ever now.
Today I'm sharing 4 simple ways we connect with our kids daily to maintain that strong connection with them. These are simple and don't take much time, but over time, these moments will compound into a lifetime of memories.
1. One-on-One time (we do this in the morning before officially starting our day)
- If you have more than 1 child, like we do, this is especially important.
- Every day, carve out 5-15mins to spend with 1 child.
- Let them pick anything they want to do. Encourage activities that your kids enjoy, but will also spark conversation. Play a game, draw pictures, read books, sit and talk, have a dance party, read some funny jokes, have a pillow fight, whatever their idea of quality time is - spend it in that way. If you've got a son that loves to build like us, spend your morning digging through legos to build with him. If you've got a daughter who loves to play dress up, put on that pirate outfit and chase her around. Have fun with it - I promise you, these are the moments they will remember.
2. CAR time
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Think about how much time you spend with your kids in the car (to/from school, errands, activities) Use this time wisely.
- Share stories of when you were a child.
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Play a fun game like finish the story
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Listen to podcasts with interesting topics and morals, discuss afterward. Here's a link our blog post on Podcasts for kids that adults will enjoy, too.
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Ask how their day went at school. Here's a link to our blog post with tips to get your kids talk more about their day. 35+ Creative Ways to ask Kids about their School Day
3. MEAL time
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Have a consistent meal together daily. For us, it's dinner. If you're juggling lots of after-school activities, maybe it's breakfast together. Here are some fun conversation starters to make for a fun meal.
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Take this time to share highs and lows of the day.
4. EVENING time
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Create an evening ritual together. To give you ideas, this is what our evening routine looks like: Every night we sit in the same spot, pick a book to read aloud, say a prayer, share something we're grateful for, give a big group hug and sing the I love you song from Barney (yup, the purple dinosaur).
There you have it, 4 simple ways to connect with your kids every single day. I hope that inspires you to make the most of your time and build a life that is fun and meaningful to you.
As always, I love hearing your thoughts, questions, and feedback so leave a comment below! Tell us some of YOUR favorite ways to connect with your kids.
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