When you spend time with your child, he knows that both he and his
success in school and in life are among the most important things to you. As
much as your child might beg for a new toy or the latest blinking game with
sound effects, what he wants most is to spend time together. Here are some
ideas for spending time with him:
·
Turn ordinary tasks into together time.
Thirty minutes of playing on the floor with your child is
wonderful. Taking him along on your Saturday afternoon errands and talking with
him for the whole time is just as effective.
·
Eat meals together as often as
possible. Research shows that more family bonding happens
around the kitchen table than anywhere else. Ask your child what he did in
school that day.
·
Exercise together. Move with your child daily. Use this time to talk about your
child’s favorite books.
·
Engage in
your child’s interests. If he likes soccer or T-ball, kick or toss the ball around
together outside. If he likes dinosaurs, check out a dinosaur book from the
library and read it together. Occasionally, snuggle up together to watch a
movie or an educational TV show. Make
connections to what your child is learning.
Source: T.R. Lee, “How to
Spend Quality Time with Your Child,” College of Education and Human Services,
Utah State University
Check out more Parenting Tips and Information in
the Helping Children Learn Newsletter at:
