How To Be Intentional In Making Time With Your Children
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This is the last week of summer before fall sports practices start and our family returns to school in two weeks. While time slips away, I want to be intentional about making time with my kids before another school year starts.
Two of my children will be going to college and the other two will be in middle and high school this year. Being intentional about spending quality time with children has to be a priority or it won’t happen. Some ideas for making time with your children during the last days of summer include:
- Having breakfast together if it’s the only meal the family may have with busy evening schedules.
- Letting your children help you cook so you can spend time together in between busyness.
- Scheduling appointments or errands on one day so you can have a “free” day to spend together.
- Decide to go somewhere – anywhere – on a day all family members can be home. This can include a trip to a local park, museum, ball park, miniature golf place or beach.
- Having a picnic in your back yard.
- Taking the kids to an ice cream parlor in a neighboring town for a different venue.
- Playing board games outdoors on a blanket.
- Reading by flashlight under the evening stars.
Making time with your children includes dismissing ideas of perfection or idealism and accepting what is practical and doable. Three of my kids have summer jobs and can’t get off of work for several days to vacation. However, I asked each of them to get off one day so we could at least spend one day together. We voted on an activity and we’ll be heading to Chicago for a day. It’s within a couple of driving hours and will have a lot for our family to do.
Making time with your children requires little effort but a commitment to just do it! Years go by quickly and memories are made only once. What are things you like to do to be intentional with your children?