Life can get really busy, especially if you are running around driving your kids to soccer practices, music lessons, and other activities. However, it is very important to make sure you put aside at least a little time regularly to spend one-on-one time with your child. But making it happen can be hard, and recognizing its importance isn’t always obvious. We’ve got tips for spending one-on-one time with your child.
Plan for it!
Yes, life can be busy, but don’t make spending time with your child the last thing on your list. If you have to, schedule it in so that you don’t miss it.
Get rid of distractions
During alone time with your child, try to put away your cell phone and turn the TV off, to make sure you can both focus on each other.
Get creative!
Alone time with your child doesn’t have to be some formal time to sit down and talk. Do something simple yet fun (here are some ideas from motherscircle.net), and change it up! It could even be doing a puzzle, or taking a walk through a nearby park to search for wildlife. Maybe take them out to a restaurant for a ‘date’ with mom or dad.
Benefits of spending one-on-one time with your child:
Figure out how they receive information best
Through spending one on one time with your child, you will be able to notice how they learn best. Do they like to move around while thinking? Or are they a really good listener? Little details like this can easily be noted when you spend some time alone with your child.
Find out how long they can concentrate
When you spend one-on-one time with your child, you will also be able to get a sense of their ability to concentrate. Do they have a 10 minute attention span? Or are they fine to sit and focus for 30 minutes? Once you know what their limit is, it can help you plan when to have them take breaks from homework and studying.
Discover the environment they learn best in
You can even figure out what environment they thrive in. Do they love reading outside? Or do they get distracted when the room is full of things to play with? This way, you can set up a learning environment that will keep them focused and ready to learn.
Spending time individually with your children will not only make them happier, but it can also help you figure out how they learn best. So take note of these tips, and plan some one-on-one time with your child to make the most of their learning!
