Invest in your child – It’s your biggest rate of return

This is the fourth post in our series about child care.

When I was as a young working mom of two children, I struggled with finding the time to play games with my kids. I was busy caring for them and balancing all the jobs I “needed to get done” around the house in those few short hours after work. I remember myself saying, “After…. After….” Once I sat and took the few minutes to play with them I realized how important play is to my children’s development. Having my children help me to do the everyday household tasks was even a learning experience for them (e.g., helping to cook dinner or folding the laundry). It even helped me get some things done so we would be able to play games and have fun together!

Do you find you struggle balancing your career and other tasks with playing with your kids? Have you ever thought about how many values and skills your children learn from simple games and tasks? That is something I think about when my children ask me to come play…

The relationship you develop with your child starts from the moment they are born. Spending quality time, working together and doing activities together help grow the relationship and help to develop your child and get them ready for success in school and life. Children are our most important asset and there are many ways to invest in them. I have found from my experience the small things we do with our children have the most benefit and help create those close relationships and skills for children.

Are you investing in your child? Stop and take a minute to think about it. Actually, just stop all the “stuff” for a little while, and play with your kids. It’s that simple. You’ll be amazed by how much it means to them and the memories you are creating!

Share your experience:

For more tips and hints about finding time to connect with your kids, or to share your experience, there are many ways you can talk to one of us directly:

Leave us a comment below – we’d love your feedback
Talk to us on Twitter: @haltonparents
Email us at haltonparents@halton.ca
Dial 311 or 905-825-6000 for parenting information or to speak directly to a Public Health Nurse every Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

About this guest blogger:

Wendy Harper, Supervisor at Maple Avenue Regional Child Care Centre, parent of two children age 8 and 11, and found the above information to be extremely useful personally and professionally.

2 Responses to Invest in your child – It’s your biggest rate of return

Jessica says:

July 8, 2012 at 6:13 am

Hello- I think I came to the realization that I need to be sure to invest In my kids more. I’m having a third child and I am beginning to see that the emphasis for individualized attention is very easily dropped as I begin to split myself more ways. I feel my husband does a decent job investing in that individual time with our daughter by playing cards with her sometimes and Literally focussing his attention on her, but I feel all of my children will need to be in Invested in individually as well as as a family. I’m trying to reserve the last half of the week (Thursday through Saturday afternoon ) in my small business. How can I organize getting my children into classes that invest in them the first half of the week, switch gears when the school year starts, and make the weekends count? Is there a formula for having the time and energy for making dinner and having the time as a family? I feel as a mom, that I need help designing my personal routine. I sometimes feel remorseful for not considering these things before I had more children. How can I make it so my children don’t feel like they are unimportant?

- Angela De Maria says:
  
  July 13, 2012 at 4:05 pm
  
  Hi Jessica,
  
  Sorry for the delay in replying to your comment.
  
  I can also relate to feeling ‘mommy guilt’ when life gets busy and I can’t invest more time with my children. What helps me is to remember that it’s about quality over quantity. Regular, small amounts of time with your child can be more valuable than longer chunks of time. Taking 1-2 minutes several times a day to give your undivided attention to your child through a smile, question or even touch shows them that you’re interested and care.
  
  If you’d like to chat further and you live/work in Halton you can always reach us via email at haltonparents@halton.ca or call us directly by dialing Dial 311 or 905-825-6000 to speak directly to a Public Health Nurse every Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We’re here to help!
  
  Angela, on behalf of the Halton Parents Team