Family time management is
such an important part of everyone’s lives yet
we seem to put everything else in front of it.
Family time always falls to the time left after
everything else is done. Work, school, play, the
gym, socializing….it all seems to come first.
What are the effects
of not enough family time? Well, relationships
between spouses and children suffer, as well as the
relationship between spouses themselves. There is
also a psychological impact due to the separation.
The implications are far reaching yet we continue to
give families our “left over” time.
How can we turn this
around? First, let’s get
organized. Then lets establish that family time
can range from a few minutes to a few hours. The key
is to make it quality time. If you are having
trouble getting the kids on board try the ultimate
children's time management system.
This has been very successful and a lot
of fun!
Quality time should be time
free of conflict, not rules.
How to plan
a short trip is almost as important as when you
plan a short trip. Even the best made plans don't always go as planned.
Don't let this get
in your way. Children feel more
secure with behavioral boundaries in place so don't
let this detour you from maintaining them here.
Allow children to talk and be open about whatever is
on their mind. This will make your time together
more enjoyable for both of you
A short ride to Grandma’s
house is always good time to practice family time
management but make sure
you
plan ahead to make it fun. You have a chance to
bond and it's a great time for discussion around
many different topics. Be sure to keep it non
confrontational and it will be time well spent.
Children usually don’t
share very much information when asked closed
ended questions like “how was your day?” or, “did
you have fun today?”
Asked open ended questions like
“what did you and Johnny do today?” “How did you and
Suzie get to the park?” You can’t answer these with
a yes or a no. This will help your children discuss
topics in greater detail. Try to dig a little deeper
and let your child express his or her feelings. The
more they verbalize the better.
Schedule some family time
in every day. Try to schedule one or two hours
each night. Even if something comes up and you have
to trade spots with another task or something that
comes up at the last minute, it still will be worth
while.
Try to remember these keys
points:
Schedule family time to make
it happen
Make it quality time, without
confrontation
Keep to your normal rules,
children feel more secure when you set boundaries
A small trip together is a
great time to bond
Remember, family time
management works if you plan
it, implement it, and stay true to it, and your family will be
happy you did!
