Time with the Kids...

If you're like me, you're always busy!  If I'm not working, there's always something that needs to be cleaned or cooked or laundered!  Whether you're a working mom, or a stay at home mom, or a mom working from home, you may be looking for ways to spend more time with your kids.  Sometimes it seems impossible, but I'm so tired of always saying things like "In a minute" "Not right now" and "I'm working, hon."  So, I've been thinking about ways to spend time with my kids--without stopping what I'm doing! 

My kids always ask me to play with them--because that's how they relate to other people right now.  But they are happy just to be with me, even if we're not doing the exact same thing.  For example, the other day I was working on making a new family schedule.  Rather than sitting at my desk, I brought my posterboard, pencil, ruler & markers into the schoolroom.  Tristan wanted to do a math page, and Megan and Josyan wanted to do a craft.  So I set them up with their activities while I worked on my schedule.  We had a great time taking a look at each others' work and chatting about life. 

Just as we create comraderie by working together as adults, we can do the same thing with our kids.  My kiddos didn't need me to sit beside them and do what they were doing--they just wanted my presence in the room with them.  The great thing about this concept is that I feel better as a mom because I'm spending actual time with my kids (and I'm still getting things done!), and my kids feel great because I'm hanging out with them! 

More ideas to come...