Parents play a key role in the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of children, as reported by the American Psychological Association. One of the best ways to ensure you have a positive impact is to spend as much time as possible with them and be mindful of your actions. For instance, if you want to instill the habit of positive thinking, be a role model and practice it yourself. In time, your child will pick up on it and start doing the same. In this article by Helteko, we’ll explore three amazing ways to spend time with your child and the positive impacts it’ll have.
Be There Day and Night
Bedtime is an important part of a child’s daily routine; hence, make an effort to be there each night, even if it means adjusting other commitments. The best bedtime activities to consider include reading a book, having a conversation about their day, helping them create a to-do list for the next day, or listening to calming music. Additionally, you can plan fun activities leading up to bedtime as well, such as completing a puzzle, giving them a hot water bath, organizing a game night (preferably on weekends), watching a movie, and more, as reported by Playful Notes.
Adopt a similar approach for the day by assigning them chores. This will serve as a fun way to teach them a good lesson about being responsible. Depending on your child’s age, consider assigning chores around the home (cleaning, washing, folding laundry), sending them grocery shopping, or helping elders around the house with what they need. For each chore they complete, they provide them a reward which could be going out for ice cream, choosing the movie for the night, etc.
Play Games with Them
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for kids to have multiple gaming devices, which can include their phones, a tablet, a laptop, or a console. While most parents are quick to dismiss video games as a waste of time, they can be a useful tool to teach your child numerous life skills. For instance, most multiplayer games require immense communication and coordination among players to win. Rather than letting your child play with strangers, pick up the controller and be their teammate. As for learning the game, let your child take the role of a teacher, which will serve as a good practice for when they need to tackle a similar setting in school, college, or at a job. Additionally, you can introduce them to the classics such as Monopoly, UNO, etc. If they’re reluctant to play offline games, you can easily find a digital version of the game on the internet, which both of you can play anytime, anywhere.
Take Them on Road Trips
When holidays come around, going on a road trip should be on top of your to-do list. Not only are road trips a great way to get kids out of the house, but it is an activity they love as well. Road trips allow kids to have unique experiences that they’ll remember for the foreseeable future. This can include lying on the grass and looking at a sky full of stars or taking a challenging hike to experience the beautiful view from the top. After a great trip, your child will want nothing more than to meet their friends and tell them all about it. But, you don’t always need to wait for the holidays to plan a road trip, as not all of them need to be a multi-day occasion. If you have trails, beaches, national parks, rivers, or other prominent outdoor places within a few hours’ drive from the home, use them as the destination for a weekend excursion. Additionally, involve kids in the process and make them find places they want to visit in the coming weeks.
When it comes to spending time with kids, more is always better. Planning fun activities like a road-trip, movie nights, etc. helps to develop a healthy bond and a positive frame of mind. As a parent, you’ll need to take an initiative for these activities, hence take a close look at your schedule and find ways to prioritize the kid's needs over other plans.
