Family

Bonding with the kids

Simple ways to enjoy your children more every day

Often when we spend time with our kids, we are just going through the motions and tending to their needs, as opposed to enjoying quality time..

Given that 93% of mums who work still have children living at home, let’s consider how we can enjoy our children rather than simply looking after them.

Engage with them

Pause to look at them when they talk, acknowledge them when they speak, invite them to join you when you have things to do, or ask them about their day, their teacher or their friends.

Children are aware if we are distracted and will respond well when they know we are showing them genuine attention.

Inspire your girls

As you go about your life, your daughters are watching and learning how to live. Think about what you need most to live well and ask yourself how you can teach your daughter the same things.

Adore your boys

Our boys learn their greatest lessons about love from their mums. It is from our nurturing, love and affection that they become compassionate and emotionally robust young men.

Our maternal urge is to prevent them having any spills, yet it’s best for our boys if we let them as it encourages them to become self-respecting and confident.

You are enough

I watched a documentary that contained several mothers’ views of their parenting. Every one lamented the feeling they were not good enough for their children. They spoke of the rushing, the raised voices and the telling-offs.

And then came the views of their children. All of them spoke of the precious moments that perhaps many of us overlook. Tucking in at bedtime, cuddles, dinner, mum’s smile or her soft hair.

Our kids are still so pure that they see what is great. It’s only as we get older that our perspectives change and we see what’s not. Enjoy the small moments with each of your children, regularly. You truly are enough.

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