SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR CHILD

‘A sapling can be assisted to grow straight, but once it becomes a tree, it cannot be led in its growth,’ as the saying goes.

Children’s thoughts are pure and innocent. Each child is a white marble that the teacher and parents must carve into the image of God, a bud that must be encouraged to blossom in all of its Divine splendour so that it might be offered to God as a worthy offering.

We frequently discuss how things used to be very different back in the day. Children’s first requisite used to be love and respect for their parents, to whom they owed everything. Children grew up in an atmosphere of reverence, devotion, mutual service, and cooperation, where they were aware of man’s brotherhood and God’s fatherhood. Every morning, before starting their daily activities, they used to touch their father’s and mother’s feet, and so on.

However, the situation has completely transformed in recent years. But why don’t we try to figure out who or what is to be blamed for such a negative shift?

We forget that in order to accomplish all of this, we must spend QUALITY TIME with the children.

Life is hectic for everyone, especially parents and families. The to-do lists become longer as the days pass, and other responsibilities seem to take precedence over valuable family time. Even studies suggest that scheduling periodic family time with your children is critical.

Spending quality time with your children and giving them your undivided attention as they engage in things that they enjoy is what quality time is all about. It doesn’t have to be a large undertaking to spend quality time with your children; it could be as simple as scheduling a few minutes each day to be alone with them.

That is the moment when the youngsters can be taught to build love for all people from an early age and that love brings people together. The road to Divinity is paved with purity, and unity encourages purity.

Children who are spending more quality time with their families are less likely to participate in risky behaviours such as drug and alcohol usage and are rather more likely to be physically healthy. Showing your children that you love and care for them helps to keep them mentally and emotionally strong. As a parent, the best way to do this is to spend quality time with them on a regular basis.

How to Make Quality Time

Here are a few easy ways to spend quality time with your kids:

• Maintain daily connect with your child. Any form of connection with your children is important and beneficial, whether it is face-to-face contacts before school and work or sending them a small note in their lunch bags.
• Every day, tell your child that you love them. Make it clear to your child why you love and cherish them.
• Create a special ritual for you and your child—something that can be done every day. It can be a bedtime ritual out of it, such as selecting and reading a short book.
• With your gratitude, you may reinforce positive habits.
• Prepare a meal and share it with your family. This allows the family to communicate with one another while also encouraging teamwork.
• Make time to do an activity with your child, and let them choose what they want to do.
• Laugh and be silly with your child.
• Children should be provided with the right values.
• Keep all the distractions away.

When you spend time with your child, be sure to keep away from all technology, turn off your smartphones, and avoid doing any chores or office work at this time. Avoid sending or receiving messages and calls during this time and avoid TV and music unless it is part of the activity that you are doing.

Children whose parents take part in activities together, build a positive sense of self-worth. Children feel that their parents value them, and this increases positivity and self-esteem in them.

You need to treat your child as a friend in order to gain their trust no matter how hard it seems. The best way to bond with them would be to know when to step in as a parent and when to be a friend.  You need to talk to them and share your experiences about the dilemmas and the difficulties you faced growing up, the mistakes you made, and how you tried to mend your mistakes. This will help your teenager respect you and be honest, which will in turn help the bonding process.

Overall, spending quality time with your children is not only important to them but is also important to your own well-being.

Ms. Vandana Sharma (PRT)