Spending Time With Our Kids

Can you imagine what it must feel like to live in a box- a box with no windows and no contact with the outside world?

Or, let’s say you’re living in a big, beautiful house- but all of your family members live inside of a box, without you!

Either way, you’d feel pretty alone out there on your own, wouldn’t you?

I know that sounds pretty silly…but it’s a scenario that caused me to think of parenting from a new perspective.

The thought occurred to me one day that I should be grateful for every moment my parents spent with me growing up. I would have surely felt secluded were it not for the love I felt within my home. Rather than living outside or inside of the “box”, I ate, slept, talked, and breathed right beside my family. I felt accepted, loved, and understood. I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to be part of a family unit where I never felt left out.

Not every one has had the pleasure of recounting a wonderful upbringing, I realize. Some of you may have experienced the feeling of living emotionally alone. There may have been times when you felt as though no one understood you- not even your own family members. That’s why the way in which we determine to raise our own children, regardless of our past, is even more important.

Spending time with our precious dear ones is a God-given opportunity, crowned with so many blessings here and in the afterlife.

However, I’ve found that even as a stay-at-home mom, I’ve had to remind myself to just “be there” for my children. It’s so easy to get sidetracked with all of the many choices- activities, school, and daily routines. So, how do we approach the concept of spending more time with our children amidst our hectic schedules and monotony of daily life? How do we turn the concept into a practical lifestyle that works for our entire family?

Here are a few hands-on tips to help you ensure that you and your children are living in or out of the box – together:

Though we parents are busy, it helps when we slow down to take a breather throughout the day. During those times it’s easier to reconnect with our kids. We can chit-chat with them and really use those times to simply listen to their needs.

As much as we try to just “wing it”, sometimes we just have to be really creative, and actually plan to have fun together with our kids. Try doing a Google search for fun ideas to do with your kids. You could play a family game or plan a special outing like a picnic day at the park. Again, with our schedules being so full and the times we live in being so fast-paced, taking the time to slow down and plan for fun times is crucial, though it takes a bit of effort on our part.

Again, the focus here is on family. If we plan our lives (including our schedules) around our family’s needs, life becomes more vibrant for every family member. Now everyone feels included in the family unit- or, as I mentioned in my example earlier- everyone is in or out of the box- together.

Oh, how I sometimes long for the days of double dutch jump rope, jacks (do you even remember those?), and Now and Laters (if you’ve been to the dentist a few times, you’ll remember what these are- not that I recommend you give them to your kids!) But it’s the mere fact that being a child required very little effort except to simple be. Enjoying life is what kids do best. Perhaps we should take a lesson from our children, and learn to relax and enjoy life again. And how much fun would it be to relax right along with our children!

It is true that time with our children is time well spent. Making fun memories can be subtle as well as planned, but it is always purposeful. Recounting the memories we’ve made in our family, I fully cherish the times we’ve spent together. I know that our children will remember these moments for years to come. I’ve purposed in my heart that no matter where we are in life, no matter how far we travel (whether inside or outside of the “box”), it will always be together.

I hope that you’ll find many wonderful, fun-filled memories in the days ahead as you purpose to understand your children and enjoy life together.