How much quality time we must spend with our kids?
Tags: Parenting Tips, Quality Time, Parents, Parenting Advice, Parenting

What is quality time?

Is it any time spend with our kids?

If your answer is ‘Yes’ then I am sorry to say you are wrong. Quality time is not any time spent with your child. If this would have been the correct answer then we almost spend 15–16 hrs around them.

Quality time is the time dedicated only to kids. No gadgets, no other thoughts, only you and your child or family. It could be as minimum as ½ an hour, but dedicated to kids.

I understand now-a-days life has become very busy, especially when it comes to both parent working. In this dedicating ½ an hour to kids that to without any gadgets or other thoughts is like leading a battle. I further recommend you to bifurcate this dedicated time to kids so that it becomes an achievable task for you. Spending 5–10 mins at a stretch is not at all difficult I suppose. It would just be fillers in your busy schedule.

Recommendations on how to bifurcate the time:

Morning time: Caring Time

One of the most crucial time is the morning time. The time to wake us. At this moment if little love and affection is passed on to our little ones, they feel themselves to be at the top of the world. They develop a sense of existence in parents’ life. They are boosted with positive vibes which remains charged up in them throughout the day. They wakeup with a fresh mind.

Just by dedicating 5–10 mins here would be enough.

सर पर हाथ फेरना

बालो को सहलाना

कमर पर हाथ फेरना

किस करना

जादू की झपी देना

Anything that your child likes

Meal time: Sharing time

Meal could any meal or anyone atleast. It can be breakfast or lunch or dinner time. I would prefer dinner time when all of us can sit together and communicate with each other. We could share what something new, something unusual, something exciting or something wrong happened with us during the day.

This is the time when we can sit peacefully and laugh, share, suggest each other.

There are possibilities where elderly kids may not like to share their experience of the day, don’t panic because this might be new for them, they are not confident how you will react.

Here you have to take initiative and start sharing your experience so that a positive sharing environment is created. Let them complete what they have in their mind, don’t interrupt, don’t predict and most important don’t over react. If you want to put forth your suggestion or you want to pin point at their mistake do it later, this is not the time for it. If reacted immediately possibilities are that the positive environment turns into a negative one.

But for the younger ones the scenario is totally different. They may not have words to express their feelings or sometimes they may even forget their experience, so we as elders we have to help them recall that moment and start sharing about it.

So meal time is not only eating time but also sharing time.

Late afternoon time: Playing time

After resting in the afternoon you can arrange a play time for them, it could be as small as 10–15 mins. During this time you have to be just a listener and kids will be the host. You have to follow all the instructions given to you by your kids. It could be playing silly games or watching their favourite cartoon together or dancing or could be anything. Be prepared.

Kids must be given independence to do what so ever they like to do during this period. They listen to us through out the day, can’t we listen to them for 15 mins.

I am sure ‘Yes, we can.’

Bed time: Motivational time

Just before they actually go to sleep we can spend some motivational time with our kids. We can remind them what all good and appreciable things they have done throughout the day. Make them realize you are very happy for it. Recall them the initiatives they have taken, no matter they have succeeded or not.

To boost their motivation share some Panchatantra Stories or Moral Stories. It is believed, ‘When kids sleep motivated, they wakeup motivated.’

By spending quality time with our kids we help them in their overall development. Being a parent who doesn’t want child’s overall development in just 30 mins.

From today onwards let’s make it a point to spend atleast 30 mins of quality time with our kids.

Whoever agrees show me