Today’s post is written and shared by Joyce of Childhood Beckons.
10 wonderful ways to slow down and savor the moments with your kids!
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.
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 Childhood Beckons. 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.
Need a few more fun ways to slow down?
- Try these 10 tips to being hands on with your kids.
- Learn to let go… let the child lead the way.
- Try some 10 minute challenges to refocus the day and your kids.
About Jamie Reimer
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.
Hi Joyce! I really enjoyed reading this. It is a big reminder to me of how important the little things are to them! It is so easy to get caught up in the big “adult” things.
I think just giving my children more time will make them happy!! Everything you listed is something I need to work on.
Thanks again.
Oh, I loved this post. Thank you!!! I love the look on my sons face when I dance extra hard or extra funny during a song. For some reason those moments, like the ones you mention above in your post, of letting go and slowing down really impact our babies. Thank you for the reminder!
These are truly wonderful ideas that are right under mom’s noses!
Sometimes we are in such a rush we forget to play along the way.
Thanks so much for the inspiration.
Elise
Spoken like the mother of one child
That’s very true. I’m a mother of one and that surely influences my ideas and writing. I do try to take other families’ situations into consideration when I write, but I also write about what I know. I hope that families with more than one child can use a lot of the ideas I’ve shared. I’ve read back through the ideas I’ve shared and I think many could be easier or more fun with more children. My goal for this post was to give busy moms simple ideas to make their children feel special. Simple ways that might not take a lot of time at all. And moms can be busy for several different reasons. Some moms work a lot. Some moms have more than one child. Some moms are single moms with a lot on their plate. Some moms are taking care of elderly parents. I hope that regardless of their situations, they can be inspired to intentionally make small pockets of time for their children. And I hope that they have fun doing it.
I think you’re exactly right! As a mom of two (soon to be three) I think these ways to slow down are even more important so slow down with each child individually, even if you have all the kids with you. You can still make each child feel special on an individual basis with your simple suggestions! Love them all!
And, I think of these as suggestions… they may not fit everyone’s individual needs exactly, but can spur ideas of how it can fit their situation.
absolutely! it’s difficult having more than one child and finding ways to do this. but i think that it’s important to spend time with each child individually. it may take extra effort on our part, but isn’t it worth it in the end? being seen and appreciated as an individual boosts a child’s self-esteem. maybe it means having the rest of the brood {that’s what i call mine} stay home with the other parent/friend/grandparent while you have a “mommy and me date” to just go get ice cream… or keeping them up 15 minutes later to read a book. life is different for every family, we all just have to find what works for us. and i think that with some rearranging of priorities, these ideas will be effective.
I have 3 children ( 1, 4, and 9) I enjoyed this post so much and I agree with the comments above. You don’t have toonly have 1 child to do things like this!! For me, this was a great reminder, not to do exactly the things that the post mentioned, but to find fun ways in what worked with our schedule to stop and enjoy the simple things.
I do these things, too, and I have four boys four and under. My house isn’t as clean as it used to be, but we love our time together. These years are too precious to not make the most of them. Awesome post.
I also have 4 little ones and I think all of these ideas are great. Some of them can be done together (like jumping over the cracks), some you can take turns. Making those special memories may be more challenging with multiple kids, but it’s also more important!
I found this via Pinterest and I need this reminder! Thank you! My daughter is almost 3 and I find that my favorite nights with her are those spent with her on my lap (have to enjoy it while I can!), snuggling with her. One night we tickled and tickled until we couldn’t tickle anymore, then stopped for a break and did it again. It was wonderful. Possibly the best night of my life with her! I have to remind myself to unplug from the world, put off the dishes and the homework and the grading and focus on my daughter. She’s what’s got us through so much in my family and she’ll continue to be the shining star. And for making me remember that, I want to get away from working and go pick her up early from daycare!!!
Thank you, Megan, for sharing such a sweet moment with me and everyone reading. I’m so glad that my post made you reflect and moved you in some way. I agree with you in that some of my all time favorite memories of time with my son are the simple things. But I have to remind myself of this fact as well. That sounded like an absolutely wonderful night
Thank you for the reminder. I needed especially this week. I have a 17 yr old son who is his class president and in charge of decorating for prom. Therefore, that make me very busy, and my poor little 6 yr old daughter feels a bit left out. I will try these tips!
LOVE THE LIST!
I never get tired of being with my son, playing with him, being more unruly than him… I keep telling myself… IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
Thanks for the reminder.
These are such neat ideas. As a grandparent I do alot of these things. I just wished I would have done them when my kids were small.
I love this post Joyce! Such simple ideas, yet ones that kids LOVE so much! We have a free horse at our grocery store and sometimes we go just to ride it. Not as often now that we have baby brother, but now that I read this I realize it’s something we need to do more!
We put food coloring in our breakfast oatmeal and in our evening baths! My kids (3,5 & 7) love it and have a great time creating just the right shades.
With four kids, one 10, two 9.5, and a 15 month old, we tend to run pell mell through the week, much less each day! At the dinner table every night (yep! we insist on dinner together!) we do Our Favorite Part Of The Day….some days, we have our lowest points of the day – hey, we all have sucky days sometimes. It’s gives us a view of their world, what’s important to them, and TONS of great laughs at the table.
LOVE this list!!!
I just have to say, I LOVE the picture of your son with all the bubbles. So adorable! Seeing that just made my day!!!
every night I go to bed & promise myself tomorrow I’ll be more attentive to my 4yo. It breaks my heart how fast he is growing & these days all I seem to do is hurry him up. Ironic isn’t it?!
I stumbled across your post looking for something to print out for the fridge to remind me to SLOW DOWN. It’s done wonders and helped put it all into perspective. Tomorrow will definitely be preschooler day
Thank you for this! I work a lot and this helps me realize how little things make a big difference!
That’s cute…we always jump in the puddles after a rain, and dance in the rain!
These are really great ideas! Thanks!
Thanks
Joyce knows her stuff!