More Raising Kids...
Are You A
Stressed Out Mama?
Want...
- Less nagging?
- Less frustration?
- More peace?
- More hugs?!
Don't Miss
Mama's Stress Busters.
I Lost 20 Pounds!
Find out how a simple calorie counting chart system can help do the same for you.
|
|
Send This Page To A Friend
Sneaky Fun: Play With Your Kids and Still Get the Job Done
by Colleen Langenfeld
Copyright (c) 2004
"Mom, I'm bored!"
"Dad, play with me!!"
Sound familiar?
If you're a parent, these plaintive cries from your children can become daily
shouts. As busy moms and dads, we're continuously torn by the demands on
our time. Here are some simple ways to spend time with your kids while getting
the jobs done that need to be done (including the toughest job of all: parenting).
These Sneaky Fun ideas are also great ways to teach our children exactly
how to accomplish many routine tasks.
- Make a silly dinner together.
Think 'Green Eggs and Ham' or try a picnic on the living room floor. Bring
your child along for the meal planning, shopping, prep time and clean-up.
Involve them each step of the way.
- Turn on the music and clean, clean, clean.
Forget TELLING your kids to go clean; side-by-side, with some of their favorite
music playing, go through the house dancing and cleaning. They'll love it
(and so will you).
You know you need to do it. Your child is your perfect exercise partner.
Make it a 'talk and play' time and you'll both get fit together.
Love to fish, garden, sew, paint, sing? Share that love with your youngster.
Try an interest that fascinates them. Learn a shared passion - together.
- Start a girls or boys night out.
You will make an incredible impression with this one. Take your daughter
out for regular manicures and lunch. Stay close to your son with a favorite
concert or sporting event. Teach your children about wholesome entertainment
and the joy of healthy relationships. You can even team up with another parent
and child for regular fun; just make sure that honest conversation is the
true priority.
Do you have a student struggling with homework? Quit nagging and ask them
to teach YOU what they've learned. Be a patient listener. The fastest way
to learn is often to teach.
Need I say more? Water, the chance to soak mom or dad, and a sense of accomplishment
when it's all done. Follow up with an ice cream cone for a job well done.
Countless gardeners have discovered deep satisfaction in sharing their love
of growing things with children and grandchildren. Gardening is a useful
de-stressing tool and the most frustrated child tends to loosen up and share
their heart after while getting their hands dirty alongside a trusted adult.
If your household is anything like mine, it benefits greatly when I take
the time to map out regular activities. Menu-planning, budgeting and vacationing
come to mind, for starters. Show your child (of the appropriate age) how
to use their time and money wisely by including them in the planning of everyday
family activities. As they mature, they can easily be put in charge of some
of these planning sessions, teaching them to younger siblings. Your trust
and belief in them can ease the stress on them as they grow, too.
Almost all families struggle with organization in some area. Truth be told,
we're simply busy people and have often outgrown the simplistic organizing
methods that once worked just fine. Give your kids the opportunity to be
the creative organizer in your family. Whether its making sense of the family
photos or tackling the hall closet, do it with them to get the job done and
make a memory that's shared.
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Try scheduling a set time of
fun in exchange for a set time of work. For example, Monday can be family
board game night with Saturday morning seeing the family hard at work in
the yard. Sometimes it's easier for kids to see the point when it's a straight
trade off of time and energy.
The idea here is simple and clear. Use everyday activities to build relationships
and teach responsibility. After all, everybody wins when 'fun' becomes a
part of daily life!
Colleen Langenfeld is a mother with 25 years of parenting experience and helps other busy moms at http://www.paintedgold.com.
|
|
We enjoy and value feedback from our website visitors!
We also like to put visitor comments on our website for the benefit of other visitors.
If you submit comments, we ask your permission to share your comments on our website (see permission checkbox below).
We only ask for your name and email address in case we need to contact you for clarification.
Our strict privacy policy is that we will NOT share your name and email address with anyone else.
We will only use the first name and initial of your last name when saying where the comment or quote came from.
For example:
"This information was really useful!" - Jane S.
|
|
|
|
