10 Simple Ways to Slow Down & Make Your Child's Day
10 wonderful ways to slow down and savor the moments with your kids this holiday season!
We all need to take time to do these! |
Life can be hectic and busy.
Parenting can sometimes seem to compound that problem.
And then there's the holidays.
It's very easy to get caught up in your to-do list. Or at least, it is for me. We are always having to run here or there, finish this, clean that. Sometimes I find myself saying "no" when I should be saying "yes!"
Today, I wanted to share a few ideas on making time to slow down and have fun.
I try to allow time to have fun, but sometimes we really don't have the time to jump over every crack.
When we've had an especially hurried few days I like to plan one day to be a preschoolers paradise. We still do what needs to be done, but I take extra care in the planning and make it my mission to say yes. I try to view the entire day through the eyes of my preschooler.
When we've had an especially hurried few days I like to plan one day to be a preschoolers paradise. We still do what needs to be done, but I take extra care in the planning and make it my mission to say yes. I try to view the entire day through the eyes of my preschooler.
Five things we do while running errands:
- We jump over the cracks! Both of us, it's more fun that way.
- He pushes all the buttons! Elevators, debit card machines, coke machines.
- We stop at the grocery store with the carousel even if we don't have shopping to do. It's sacrificing five minutes time for some smiles and giggles. Well worth it.
- We take the time to stop and watch that trail of ants, find the perfect rock, or read every sign we see. This is something we try to do everyday, but it can often get pushed to the side when we are in a hurry.
- We have coin races in the Children's Miracle Network donation bins. I bring a bag of change for this purpose. We watch the coins spin round and round. We declare victors.
Five ideas for the time spent at home:
- Let them help make dinner. Let them pick dinner! Yes, it might be more work for you, but they'll be thrilled to help. And you might get the added bonus of them eating better than usual.
- Play that board game before you make the phone call. Most games don't take that long to play and making your child a priority will make them feel extra special.
- Read them one more book. Or three!
- Is it going to make a mess? Help them make a mess! Let them help you clean it up. That can be almost as much fun as making the mess. No, really.
- Plan an extra special bath. Instead of getting them out, add more warm water once the original water turns cold. My son looks forward to bath time, but by that time, I'm often looking forward to bed time. This is always a favorite!
All of these things combined makes for a very happy child. I usually get a lot of sweet comments at the end of one of these days. The truth is, I'm happier too. But you don't have to do all of these things in one day like we do. Have you been feeling rushed? Set out to try a few things from this list, or come up with a few of your own. You'll all be glad you did.
What can you do to slow down
and make your child extra happy?
...............................................
I'm Joyce, a stay at home mom of one four year old boy. I write about our adventures in play and my adventures in parenting over at Dinosaurs And Octopuses. I enjoy finding new ways to play and learn, and I love to pass along our favorites. I share a hodgepodge of activities, crafts, and recipes.
Labels: Activities, Activities for Preschoolers, Christmas, featured, Holidays, Parenting, preschool, sahm, teachpreschool
22 Comments:
I've shared your full-of-wonderful ideas of how you slow down and make your children happy on Twitter. Your message is so important. We've shared raising happy children here with some different ways:
http://www.wordplayhouse.com/2011/08/raising-happy-children.html
Put together, all our ways are sure to bring happiness to the children...and to us. A lovely post you've shared. -heather
I love that you made this list, because running errands with kids is such a big part of life as a parent. These little things are what I know our hectic days out will look like, and it's always something I can't help but look forward to -- even when I know there will be plenty of small crises sprinkled in between. I especially love that you mentioned the donation bins -- those are always a part of our trips to various stores, but I probably would have never thought to write about it. Little things like that really do make not just the kids day, but ours too, don't they? Such a cool detail to remeber and be able to look back on.
Letting the kids push the buttons and keeping them in the bath extra-long are favorites at our house, too! It's amazing if you just indulge their little whims how much happiness it brings. Great post, Joyce!
This post is so wonderful (and I'm sneaking in this message while my son is preoccupied with his breakfast). I love the very unique ideas presented but more importantly, the message you are sending. Love, love, love this! Will be sharing with as much people as I can. Happy Holidays!
I love this. What a great reminder. thank you!
vanessa
This is a welcome reminder to have 'yes' days rather than 'no' days. Thanks
I keep coming back to this. These are such wonderful reminders. Bookmarking this post. Thank you!
I'm constantly needing a good reminder that I need to stop and just play with my kids. They are only little for so long. And right now they want to play with you.
Veronica @ http://watchmeplaynlearn.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-will-happen-with-glitter.html
I gave my 5 year old a journal and gel pens for Christmas. Each night she draws something in it that she loved about the day. I sit and watch. It is memorizing, calm, and peaceful. Tonight she wrote, "You are so beautiful mom," backwards "s" and all. It was a moment I won't forget.
I love your list. I truly believe it is in these ordinary moments that you have outlined beautifully here that make life worth living. THANK YOU!
Thank you so much, Jamie for giving me the opportunity to guest post on your blog. You've been a wonderful inspiration and friend and I'm honored to be one of your guest posters!
I would also like to thank everyone that commented and visited my blog. I really appreciate your words and affirmations and I'm glad there are so many others that feel the same way and get joy from some of the simple things we enjoy as well.
such wonderful ideas! it's the little in between moments that create some of the best memories!
I have been struggling a lot lately. My son and I have a lot of challenges and it's been a rough winter. As I was looking and praying for answers I saw this on pinterest and as I read it I couldn't help but picture my boy loving each and every one. I struggle so often but I was blessed to be in a time where there are so many mothers with great ideas and ways to share them and it's wonderful to know that there are always ways to progress and work harder. Thank you so much for these, I truly needed them.
I like your bath idea! Because my son has bad eczema, we limit baths to once a week (he's still young enough) or when the need arises. So, we make bath time special. Lately, he has had "glow-in-the-dark" baths. Very simple - you use a few glow sticks (we like the bracelet kind best) and turn out the lights. Instant fun!
So important. Quality time with kids doesn't need to be a big affair, it's the little things all the time that add up. Thanks for the reminder :)
These are all great ideas. I do many of them already. My favorite way to slow down and make the kids feel special is to sit down on the family room floor. I get on their level and just be with them. Sometimes it turns into cuddles, sometimes it turns into tickles, sometimes it turns into playing a game. It's whatever they want. Really, I feel like it's what they need!
Truly a great post! So many parents need to hear this message!
Thanks for the post! I try really hard to do stuff like this, and I'm lucky I have the time to most days. Today, it was raining when I went to pick up little man from preschool, so I mad a point to take his rainboots with me so that he could splash in the puddles on the way back to the car.
And over the weekend we painted--first with brushes, then with a round oatmeal box, then with our feet. It made my neat freak husband cringe a little, but afterwards, I gave little man a spray bottle of water and told him to spray where he saw paint on the kitchen floor and I wiped it up with a paper towel! He loved it!
Wish I could be fun ALL the time . . . sigh :)
I've enjoyed reading all of the responses and I appreciate you all taking the time to comment! It makes me happy to know that I've inspired some. And lots of the comments inspired me. I love all of your ideas.
Joyce @Dinosaurs And Octopuses
Love this! Thanks for sharing and reminding me how beautiful the roses smell:)
I work from home so this is well needed in my house. I get interupted all the time and sometimes find myself frustrated and worn out. If I just stop and take the time it might make everyones day just a little easier.
Thanks Joyce, We have been having "issues" with bath time lately, reminded of an embarrassing photo my parents took of a 4 yr old me, empty bath, me face down refusing to get out. not we have a 2.5 yr old who HATES ending bath time. we decided to change routine from bath every 3rd evening until once a week, saturday night, and have an early extra long bath. so great tip re topping up cooling water. can't wait till tomoorw.
thanks for all the tips!
Thank you for making me feel like a good mommy. I already do most of these with my 2 year old son, instead of the carousel we stop at any park we pass sometimes for only a few minutes other times I forget what we were doing which means we get to do it again tomorrow.
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