Today I have the opportunity to talk to families with small children about how to create wellness in their families. One of the most important ways to create wellness in family is simple creating family time!
With so many families having parents that work outside of the home, spending time with all the members of the family is essential for the children and the parents too.
As defined by the Free Dictionary, quality time means "Time during which one focuses on or dedicates oneself to a person or activity."
Development experts might describe quality time as meaningful time parents spend nurturing and teaching their children.
Many parents feel guilty because they have to work and are not able to spend as much time as they would like with their children. The time that you do spend with children is filled with carting them to school and appointments, bath time, dinner time, etc.
With a little creativity, you can use these times to create quality time with your children. Here are some ideas of what you can do. If you want others, you can read Penny Warner’s book Quality Time Anytime.
Bath time:
Incorporate counting games, guessing colors or learning colors in different languages to help develop memory or language skills.
Bedtime:
Read new stories and ask the children to guess the ending. Create your own story using their stuffed animals as part of the storyline to develop imagination and creativity.
In the car:
Sing with your children and make up songs about their day. Or ask them to spot letters or numbers in their surroundings on their way to and from school and other appointments.
Meal time:
One of my favorite activities to do with kids is cooking or growing a garden. There are several age-appropriate activities that your children can do to help you get a meal ready.
If you have a sunny windowsill you can pot a few herbs and your child can help you water it. If you have a porch or lawn you can grow a few plants that your children can help you grow.
In the grocery store you can ask them to find food in the produce aisle. It is a great way to introduce new foods to children and get them to increase their food choices.
Quality time is the time you spend with your children where you are engaging them in learning and fun activities.
With some creativity, you can make quality time with your children every day.
Live Vibrantly,
Dr. Daemon Jones
“Dr. Dae”
Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.org
Download one of Dr. Dae's books: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living or Cultivating Health: Recipes for Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic Conditions @ www.healthydaes.org
Dr. Dae's Bio:
Dr. Daemon Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who maintains a holistic practice by treating patients all over the country using Skype and phone visits. She helps her patients harvest health and feel great, using a combination of safe and effective naturopathic and conventional methods.
Sources:
Warner, Penny. "Strategies to Make Anytime With Your Child Quality Time | Parenting | Disney Family.com." Disney Family.com | Recipes, Crafts, Parties and Family Time Ideas. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.
http://family.go.com/parenting/article-mm-62814-strategies-to-make-anytime-with-your-child-quality-time-t
"quality time - definition of quality time by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.." Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/quality+time
Reviewed January 23, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith