Finding quality time with my young’uns as preschoolers wasn’t a problem. They were my shadows, my constant companions. And like a lot of kids, they wouldn’t want to just sit down and play a game of Candyland. They’d want to sit down and play 25 games of Candyland. And they wouldn’t want to just read a story or 2. They’d want to read 10.
Now, they are growing school-aged kids and with this comes growing independence, too. This is a blessed thing, especially on Saturday mornings when I can sleep in even if they are already up because they are old enough to know not to catch the house on fire or flush legos down the toilet or draw Sharpie art on the walls.
But the downside? I fret we don’t get enough quality time. Between school, homework, and activities, my former shadows are no longer glued to my hip. Plus, there are other growing-up facts, like they can read on their own and engage in other independent activities. Sure, I can read aloud to them, have heart-to-heart talks with them, and shoot nerf gun bullets at them. In doing these things and others, it seems our quality time is measured by the quality of our time together, not the quantity. It’s measured by how much of me I’m giving them when I can, while I can.
Parenting seasons come and go; what worked at an earlier time won’t necessarily work now. So, I’d love to know:
What advice do you have for making the most of your time with growing kids?
Jenny says
March 28, 2011 at 5:06 pmI love to cook/bake with my 2nd grader. She still loves for me to read to her too, or to just sit on the couch with me while we read our own books.
Kristen says
March 28, 2011 at 10:44 pmCooking…always a good idea! I love something that provides quality time and knocks out a “chore” at the same time!
Michelle DeRusha says
March 28, 2011 at 10:34 pmPopping over from Emily’s Chatting at the Sky. I saw your comment on her post today, and was intrigued by the lovely title of your blog. You have quite the nice place here…and truly astute observations about QT with school-age kids. It is hard, isn’t it? I have two boys — ages 9 and 6. I still read aloud to the youngest…sometimes my oldest joins us as well. Last night we read a Magic Treehouse book and all ended up creating haiku (believe me, this kind of poetic QT does not regularly happen at my house!). It was cool…I guess I am simply learnin to embrace the time and experiences as they come.
Kristen says
March 28, 2011 at 10:43 pmIsn’t Emily’s place the loveliest of them all?
Thank you so much for visiting, Michelle. This haiku thing…I’m totally going to try this. Why not? And you have wise words here…embracing the time and experiences as they come. Keeping my eyes open with you, Michelle!
Jessica says
March 29, 2011 at 3:54 pmI need to start instituting the oh-so-classic “Mommy date”. Especially with my Ten Year Old. Husband took her to breakfast a few weekends ago and she said, “Sometimes it’s just nice to talk, you know? Without little brothers interrupting.”