Creating Quality Time... No Matter What's Going On

Creating Quality Time... No Matter What's Going On

Typically speaking, parents put a lot of pressure on themselves to make time for their children. Now, it seems we spend a lot of time strategizing how to get away from them! Early-quarantine offered us a seemingly once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend quality time with our kids. Four months in, the quantity of time has turned the quality of time to mush. We still yearn to have meaningful interactions with our kids, but how do we restore the quality of our connections when we are feeling so burnt out?

Spend Time Playing With Your Kids

Spend Time Playing With Your Kids

Most parents “get” the need to spend time playing with their kids, but more often than not, we’re left standing on the sidelines (or collapsed on the couch), watching our kids laugh and play, while we struggle to find an in. While, of course, kids need to play with other kids as well as on their own (i.e. we don’t need to be involved all the time); playing with parents is a great way for your child to bond with you, in their world, on their terms. Understanding the importance of play, as well as a few simple strategies for getting involved in the action, ultimately makes it easier for us to find the time and energy to get in the game. So what’s a parent to do? Here’s what the experts recommend…

Teaching In Half The Time

Teaching In Half The Time

As you reflect on your experiences with homeschooling — whether you feel like you knocked it out of the park or it knocked you on your butt — consider that formal schooling is but one of many ways that we raise our children to be successful adults. And the good news is, some of the best teaching we do is incorporated into our everyday interactions with our children — no additional time investment required. The three primary modes of teaching are…

With Kids at Home... A Little Structure Goes a Long Way

With Kids at Home... A Little Structure Goes a Long Way

Holy moly! So you got through the initial outbreak of the Pandemic. Now you’re working your way through the unstructured summer months. And it’s looking like the fall won’t be offering much relief, with most schools reopening on a part-time/flex basis, if at all. One way to make the job of full-time parenting/entertaining/educating more manageable is to add a little structure to your days.

The Power of Reading to Kids

The Power of Reading to Kids

As much as we all crave quality time with the kids in our lives, relating to children can be surprisingly tough. What do they like? What are they thinking, feeling, experiencing? Striking up a conversation about these things can be challenging. That’s where books come in. Books can provide a powerful point of entry for relating to kids. They are written and edited by professionals who understand the issues and interests children face at various ages and stages. Therefore, they can be used as a way to spur conversation, explore emotions, discover hobbies and interests, learn new information, or purely for entertainment. Oh, the places you’ll go!

How To Get Your Kids to Talk to You

How To Get Your Kids to Talk to You

Talking is one of the most valuable ways we can relate to another human being. If the eyes are the gateway to the soul, conversation is the gateway to the inner thoughts, insights and experiences of another person. Unfortunately, conversing with children doesn’t always come naturally to us adults. Every age and stage, from pre-verbal through puberty and beyond, comes with its own unique challenges. Yet, it may be comforting to know that, when it comes to talking with children, your goal is really to have them do most of the work. Your job is simply to create a safe space for your child to express whatever they are thinking and feeling. Our helpful age-by-age guide can help you get started.

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How to Buy Yourself Back Some Me-Time

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How to Buy Yourself Back Some Me-Time

Once you have kids, finding any uninterrupted time in the day that’s just yours — to just be quiet, to just think, or to just get one small thing off your own to-do list — is really hard to come by. But, believe it or not, it is possible to buy yourself back some me-time after you have kids. You just have to be super organized and intentional about it. You don’t want to find yourself hiding in a closet just to steal a moment to yourself. You want to build it into your family’s day.

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When Life Throws You Curveballs

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When Life Throws You Curveballs

Parents are constantly juggling responsibilities: work, household logistics, personal and professional relationships, loving and raising the kids, all while trying to find time for self-care, exercise, hobbies, and a little shut eye. On a good day, managing this juggling act is a delicate balance. What happens when life throws you a massive curveball?

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What’re You Doing For Fun? (Yes, Really!)

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What’re You Doing For Fun? (Yes, Really!)

Our hobbies, our passions, and what we do for pure relaxation fuel and restore us physically, emotionally, and psychologically in the most efficient way imaginable. Those restorative activities provide care and nurturance for your soul — providing you with the energy you need to get through everything life throws at you. And yet, in our parent time survey, a whopping 84.5% of parents said they spend too little time on hobbies and personal relaxation. Let’s change that!

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Understanding The Roots of Time Clutter

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Understanding The Roots of Time Clutter

We’re all working with the same 24 hours in a day. But subtract time for sleep, personal and household maintenance — such as eating, showering, cooking, cleaning, etc. —, and work, and we’re left with precious few hours remaining. Naturally, we all want to make the most of this time; yet, you might be surprised how much time clutter is stealing from you. Understanding the root of the problem will help you release it for good.

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