Working mothers: spend quality time with your children even though you are busy
The fact that there are fewer stay-at-home mums now than in the past means that many aspects of family life have changed. More and more women are looking for jobs because they simply need to contribute to the family budget or because they want to see the years of education finally pay off. Whatever the reason, the whole family has to adapt and make the most of the situation.
Spending time with children is one of the burning issues, since children now spend more time at child centres and less with their hard-working parents. This simply means that working mothers have to be better organised and focus more on the quality than the amount of time they spend with their children. Here are some ideas that should help all working mums overcome this problem.
Don’t forget to talk
Talking to your children and keeping abreast of what’s going on in their lives is crucial no matter how much time you spend with them. You can turn the fact that they spend more time at a childcare centre to your advantage, because it means there are more things going on in their lives without your presence.
For example, if you’re watching TV or movies together, you can use this opportunity to exchange your views and opinions about them. Every conversation you have with your child is beneficial, since it develops a habit of communicating with each other, which is something you both need in life.
Introduce them to the kitchen
No matter how young your child is, there must be something they can do to help you when preparing food. Many of them enjoy helping out in the kitchen, since it’s fun and usually creates some kind of mess. They also feel like grown-ups and are always satisfied to do their part in creating something that the whole family will later enjoy.
An additional benefit of this activity is that you’ll be helping them learn one of the most important life skills and become more independent and better prepared for life once they leave your home.
Playtime
You should make sure there’s enough time for you and your child to play, since that will help both of you unwind after a long day and create a stronger bond between you. Depending on the age of your child and other factors, you can choose anything from a quiet night with a board-game to a fun-packed visit to a nearby indoor trampoline park.
The games and activities you choose should vary so that there’s always an element of surprise and excitement involved. Don’t forget to include the games that your child has learned while you are at work, they will feel more confident playing them and proud to be able to teach you something.
Take them shopping
One of the things you might want to do is bring your child with you the next time you go food shopping. They can help with groceries or if they can read, let them hold your shopping list and tell you what you need to buy.
However, be careful not to turn it into an event where you have to buy them something every time they go shopping with you, since that would send a wrong signal and develop a bad habit. If you manage to avoid that trap, you’ll be able to spend some quality time with your child.
Bedtime
After all the fun and excitement you’ve both had, it’s time to hit the sack. You might want to take that opportunity to read to your child or sing them a lullaby if they are very young. Once they’re fast asleep, you can be sure you’ve done your best and made the most of the time you had available, which means you too can retire and get ready for the next day.
Being a working mum is not easy and there are many challenges along the road, but if you plan your time well and use it wisely, the quality of the relationship you have with your child doesn’t have to suffer. Instead, it can even improve and develop into a beautiful, long-lasting one.
