Spend every minute you have with your children
Since being on maternity leave for the last three months and having to go back to work in two weeks, (In Namibia you only get 12 weeks for maternity leave, wish it was more) I have thought how much quality time I finally had to spend with our two eldest children. When I go back to work, and yes I am a teacher, but we do work a lot more hours than what the general public think we do. I work from 6am to 5pm. So will be missing out on a lot of time with our children.
SPEND EVERY FREE MINUTE YOU HAVE WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
Since both of us are teachers, we honestly don't have much free time. My husband coaches rugby, chess and cricket, he is part of the schools Christian Student Organization and we are busy creating a "Voortrekker Kommando" at our school.
I do the remedial at school, luckily I don't have any extramurial activites but the remedial keeps me busy until 5p.m. This is why spending every minute with our children is so important to us. I found this qoute a few days ago and it shows exactly our motto as parents
.
This doesn't mean just watch a story with them. This means build blocks, cut papers,do some art activities, take them for a walk, read them a story. There is so much you can do with them and they will remember it.
Until today I can remember every bedtime story my grandfather told me. (My dad past away when I was four so my mom had to work very odd hours, so in return my grandparents basically raised us until my mom could manage better hours.)
So here is some activities you can do with your children
- Read them a story
- Build some blocks
- Go for a walk
- Play outside (kick or catch ball, help them ride a bicycle etc.)
- Here is 100 activites you can do with your kids. https://zenhabits.net/100-ways-to-have-fun-with-your-kids-for/
- http://www.wisebread.com/47-cheap-fun-things-to-do-this-weekend
Making a child feel that they are loved will increase their will and ability to learn.
Just remember the following:
We don't know for how long we will have our children, or how long they will have us. Live every moment as if it is your last. Cherish them, but teach them to be strong. Teach them the values they will need to survive the unforgiving world. Teach them that no matter how hard they will, they must always stand up and face the consequences.
Team South Africa banner designed by @bearone
Hope your spending good time with your children @tanyaschutte
Young for too short a time, make every minute count @tanyaschutte some lovely ideas
So true. Feels like yesterday that my four year old was born.
I wholeheartedly agree!
It's such a two way thing as well, because through connecting and being truly connected with your child, you gain so much goodness out of it for yourself. So why not, right? 😌
That is very true.
So true! And you don't have to take them on expensive outings to spend time with them, in fact I think kids enjoy the simple acts of building puzzles or just kicking a ball around more than the over-stimulating trips to places . Enjoy your last two weeks of maternity leave!
Will do. Thank you. They definitely enjoy that more because you are giving your time to them.
Congratulations @tanyaschutte! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPYou suggested simple and happier ways to spend quality time with our children. But in nowadays busy schedules, you may find it really difficult to be mind and soul present in those moments! That's why most parents end up buying gifts so they don't feel that guilt of not being present... :( If parents started practising mindfulness or other mind free activity, the burden would fade away. (P.S.: not upvoting now because I won't add any value to your post, but I'll be back soon!)
Thank you! This is very true. We have a rule that we don't buy gifts. We rather try to put that time and effort in searching for a gift with our children. Yes its not always easy, but we have to try.
That's a great idea! Will try to remember it when my daughter is older :)