We all have those times where it seems like it’s one thing after the other coming at us. For my family recently, it was being rear-ended, an unexpected injury, a dead car battery among other things, all within a few weeks. With that comes bills, phone calls, meetings…and then there’s your kids who also need your time and attention. I don’t know about you, but I feel serious mom guilt when these “adulting” moments seem to take over. I worry my kids feel like they don’t have my attention, and that other things have priority over them. And I especially worry when one of them actually says something to me along those lines. Major mom guilt—how can I connect with my kids during our busiest days?
When these times happen and I can’t give them as much attention as I would like, there are a few things I like to make sure to do to help my children (and me) feel more connected.
Start and end the day with hugs and happy greetings.
No matter what happens in between, a big hug and snuggle when they wake up and go to sleep works wonders. Bedtime is especially important to me. This is the time where my kids share the most about their feelings and what happened during the day. This post shares more about making bedtime special.
Inject some fun into the mundane.
Driving to the bank? To the grocery store (always curbside pickup, of course)? Play games, ask questions, sing songs. A lot of fun can be had in those seemingly unexciting moments from Point A to Point B. Tired of listening to kid songs? Play some of your own music. Chances are your kids will love it. Numerous dance parties have broken out in our car to some tunes not in the nursery rhyme category.
Read books together each day.
This is one of the most simple, meaningful activities I can think of to do with your kids. Just snuggling on the couch for 15 minutes reading a stack of books can bring instant connection. We have a few favorites that we keep in rotation that are just fun to read. One of our favorites is The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen. You can find a few more picture book ideas in this post.
Tell them you love them.
How special is it when, out of nowhere, your kids tell you they love you? Even when they are trying to get out of trouble, it’s still the most precious thing ever. I can bet our kids feel the same way when they hear it from us. I try to do this at least a couple times a day—get down at their level, look them in the eye, and tell them I love them.
Finding balance in life is a constant struggle. Some days I feel like I’m killing it, other times I feel like I’m failing miserably. Above all, I want to feel connected with my kids, even when life gets busy.
These ideas help my kids and I feel connected on our busiest days. What ideas do you have?
