How to Set Aside Individual Time for Each of Your Kids

One of the biggest challenges of having more than one child is finding individual time to spend with each of them. Here are a few simple ideas that can help you find that time and enjoy a closer relationship with your children.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Time
• Kids
• Activities planned

1. The first idea for spending individual time for each of your kids is to implement the theory, "Run an errand, take a child." On the weekends or in the evening, each time you need to run an errand take one of your children with you. Make the most of the time you have in the car to talk about what is going on with them. Give them the chance to feel like they are helping you while spending time with you too. You can create a rotation schedule so that children always know whose turn it is and will fight less.
2. Another idea that you can try is to set aside one day each month as your day to do a special activity with one child. The easiest way to keep track of this is to do it each month on the day of their birthday. For example, if their birthday is March 9th, than each month on the 9th plan some special time for just you and that child. Let them help pick it out, maybe dinner out or ice cream on a school night with just you. Try spending time at an afternoon movie or bowling on the weekends. Have fun and laugh during these times.
3. Try to make it to school to have lunch with your child during their lunch hour at least once a month. This is a great way to spend time with your kids and to stay in touch with their friends so that you are always familiar with them. This will help you be more involved in the stories that they tell you each day, because you will know who they are talking about.
4. Every once in a while let each child stay up a little past bedtime just to talk over ice cream or hot cocoa.
5. Find activities that your children really enjoys and seek out ways to get involved in it too. For example, if your child loves basketball, you could volunteer to help coach their team. If they love animals, then take them to the zoo. If they love dance, sign them up for class and take one too so that you can learn together. You would be amazed how much you can learn when you try things that your kids love.
6. Be creative in finding unique ways to spend time with kids. Life gets busy so make the most of each and every minute that you can to talk to your children about life. The more likely that they are to talk to you about the little stuff, the more likely they'll will talk to you about the big stuff as they get older.