Parenting Made Easy                                                                                                             By Mrs. Navneeta Talukdar

“You will never look back on life and think, ‘I spent too much time with my kids.”

In the busy and fast-paced life of today, it is really hard to find some time apart from work that we could dedicate for ourselves and our family. Perhaps unavailability of time has now become the most common complaint as the human community has moved into an extremely competitive zone.

However, there is no denying the fact that the company of the parents is absolutely indispensable for the children. Quality time spent with children doesn’t only strengthen the parent-child bond, it also serves to promote the mental and emotional development of the child.

So, let’s have a look at the 5 most effective ways to spend quality time with children.

1. Set aside specific time

Set aside specific slot for spending some quality time with your child on a daily basis as per your schedule. It could be at any time of the day.

2. Give undivided attention

Try to keep all kind of distractions including phones, TV, etc. away during this time. Do not let any household chore or office work interfere with this time.

3. Let the child lead

Allow your child to decide how he/she wants to spend the time. It could be reading a book together, playing a game, going out for a walk or even preparing a dish together.

4. Be a friend to your child

Try to bring the child within you alive and have a good laugh with your child. Tell a story and listen to his/her story with interest. Such friendly conversations without the fear of getting judged is a great boost to their confidence.

5. Eat meals together

Whenever possible, try to enjoy your meals together as a family. This helps to enhance the feeling of security in your child and promotes healthy family bonding.

Making meaningful connections is the key to developing a cheerful and positive relation with your child. It’s always about the quality and not the quantity of time that you spend together. All the experiences that you go through together has a lasting impact on your life and helps to make your child feel wanted and cared for. It provides the much-needed support and assurance to mould them into independent, productive and confident individuals ready to face the world ahead in life.