Tips on Maximising Quality Time Spent with Your Child

Do you know what made your child smile today?

Or did you come home from work, have dinner and attend to the house chores as your child plays with his toys and then heads to bed? According to a survey by the Families for Life Council, one in 10 people spend six hours or less in a week with their families and that their jobs are the number one obstacle to overcome.

We understand that as a parent, you have bills to pay, put food on the table and look after all your responsibilities. Those are priorities but so is celebrating your child's milestones and watching them grow up from two-month-olds to twelve-year-olds. Those delicate nuances of childhood are something you won't get back once missed.

There's no reason for you to feel guilty if your job keeps you busy. But that doesn't mean stay-at-home parents make better parents just because they spend more time with their child. It's not about counting the time you spend with them, it's about making the time count. You can spend quality time with your child in the unlikeliest of places. Here's are a few ways.

Sending your child to school.

Use that time to find out what activities have they been participating in at school. Tell them how proud you are of them for being able to sing nursery rhymes! Be as enthusiastic as they are when they point out objects such as "trees" or "birds". To you, it may be ordinary things, but to them, it's a whole new world waiting to be discovered.

Let your child help out.

They're switching from the "terrible-two" phase to headstrong preschoolers. They're still learning about the world and they will use their senses to do so. Children love to touch, smell and sometimes taste things – just because they have not seen that particular item before. If you're preparing dinner, let them help you. Yes, it will be messy but it gives them the chance to learn and explore. Safely under your guidance of course!

Play their games.

We know it's tiring to come home and hear "Mummy! Daddy! Come play with me!" But hey, this can be a stress-reliever for you too! Playing games or simple arts-and-crafts with them can help with their visual processing and fine-motor skills. Dr Darcia Narvaez, a psychology professor from the University of Notre Dame, says that when parents play games with their child, it actually helps them develop skill sets that make social life easier to manage. Just by getting them to copy your drawing of a house, can help your child concentrate which improves their focus and working memory skills.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Comparison is the thief of joy.". Don't ponder on how those famous stay-at-home parents do it. You do what you know is best for your child. By showing your children how important your time with them is, you won't just be a fantastic parent in their eyes, but you will also a role model to them on how to be good adults and wonderful parents.

References:
http://www.asiaone.com/singapore/1-10-spends-6-hours-or-less-week-family
https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/positive/quality-time/
https://lifehacker.com/5441898/six-ways-for-working-parents-to-spend-more-time-parenting
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201404/why-play-childhttps://www.rcowen.com/PDFs/CTS%20Ch%201%20for%20website.pdf