4 Ways to Spend More Quality Time with Family

Many parents are working full time outside of the home. Daycare to school to after school programs, a full schedule. Do you feel that you are missing those special moments? You don't have to wait until the weekend for great quality time. Squeeze in some quality time, doing things you are already doing.

Mornings

In the mornings, there is always a problem. Being as prepared as possible the night before can eliminate many time exhausting issues. Always prepare clothing, lunches, and homework papers in advance. Always wake up before your children, to pray, mediate, sing, or exercise. Whatever activity you choose to do, the goal is to become focused so that you can start your day off positively. Schedule breakfast at the table with your children, or loved ones. Nothing fancy, whatever dishes you normally eat. Sit down, and speak to your children. Talk about anything. Listen uninterrupted to their plans for the day. Develop a morning time of at least 15 minutes where you are focused totally on the children. Make it a point to set the day off positively with them.

Books. Reading with your school aged child is a very rewarding activity. Buy or borrow from the library at least 3 books on your child's reading level. Spend 5 minutes in the morning and a bit more time in the evening reading to them. Let them read with or to you, if they are of age to read. Encourage them to voice their opinions and about the story. Ask them questions about what they think will happen next in the story. If you have an older child, read them exciting novels every night before bed.

Television. Plan one night a week to share a television program or DVD with your child. This will keep you in tune as to what exactly they like to watch. As long as the program is age appropriate sit down, and enjoy it with them. Do not leave your child to the television all week to "watch them". Always be mindful of what stations your child is watching, and become familiar with the programs show. If you prefer for your child to watch a different type of program, program the remote. The remote can be programmed to select certain shows, channels, and ratings.

Dinner Hour.

Block out one hour a day to spend exclusively with your children. Turn off your ringer on your home phone; turn off your cell phone, blackberry, and all media that you keep close to you. Turn off the TV. Dare to speak to your family for an hour. This time can include setting the table together. How many young people do you know, who only eat off paper plates and plastic forks? Some children have no idea how to set a proper table.

Serve your meals family style, with the main dishes on the table. This way your child is forced to use table manners, and ask for items to be "passed". Plan some other actives to fill the hour. Play a quick board game, while waiting for dinner to be ready. If you are passionate on teaching your child a foreign language, why not teach them a new word every night. Put on music that you feel reflects you, such as classical, traditional, worship, spa, or your favorite music. Let them know that this hour is exclusively for the family.

Spending more time with your children when you work full time is a challenge. Asking them questions about what they like to do, with out interruption, will give you insight as to what new adventure you should try. Encourage activities, they would like to try. If they express interest in becoming a fire fighter, take them to the local fire house. Show them more about the world; use all available spaces of time to educate them on the world they live in. Do not depend on the television or the school system to fill in those moments. Those moments can slip by, when we are busy, being too busy.