We have four kids, soon to be five, and it’s hard to spend one-on-one time with each child unless we consciously make an effort to do so. For us that means we have to write down the times that we’ll have one-on-one time with each child on our family calendar because if it’s on the calendar, it will most likely get done.
Ruben has one-on-one time with the kids by taking an individual child out on a “Day Out with Dad” every month. We write down on the calendar which day each child will have their “day out” and then plan from their what activities they’ll do. We try to keep the cost for a “Day Out with Dad” to $15 or less, and we normally have no problem staying below that amount. In order to stay under budget, it helps to plan ahead and save coupons I think might make for a fun time for Ruben and one of the kids.
For example, last week Ruben took Breanna out for their time together, and they went to a local pizza and fun center and had pizza, pop, and game-time for only $12. We got the voucher for this package at 50% off by purchasing it online. They really enjoyed it.
I, on the other hand, spend time with the kids individually by scheduling a monthly cooking day with them. The three older ones get to pick which recipe they want to make, and I make sure we have the ingredients together before it’s time to cook. The kids have really come to enjoy this time, and they usually know what they want to make well in advance of their day to cook with me. π
I’m hoping to share more of the recipes we’ve made in the next couple of weeks as school finishes up.
Anyway, this is how we spend one-on-one with the kids, and it works for us!
How do you make individual time with your children?
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That’s a wonderful idea!! My problem was that I never had “Date Night” down on the calendar. My first child, who is now 21, never had a baby sitter. We have three children. One is 21; the other is 16; and then our Baby is almost 9. I learned to live a more balanced life as time went on. I always gave 120 % to my children and now understand that sometimes I might have neglected my husband and myself. So, be sure to also include you “Date Night” with your hubby because he’s the one who is never moving out and will be with you throughout your ripe years! xoxo
That’s true, Rita. π We are working on trying to make time for just us a little more often.
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