Hey parents!
“At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” – Barbara Bush
Studies show the average family spends about 37 minutes of quality time — time spend directly talking and connecting with each other — together during the work week. Yes, just 37 minutes.
Are you making the most of the minutes you have? What’s your family rhythm like? What’s your rhythm like? It doesn’t have to be time-consuming, but it’s worth making it intentional! Below are three ways you can help your family (and yourself!) benefit from an intentional approach.
Intentional with your time
We’ve all heard the saying, “Less is more.” And when it comes to connecting with our kids, small pockets of intentional time mean so much more than a chunk of time just spent near them while we’re mentally checked out.
Studies show kids want to be seen, heard, and enjoyed. So, while thinking through your daily family time, keep these things in mind:
- It’s not about adding more hours to our day. It’s about being purposeful with the time we have, like using your drive time to check in on how they’re doing or turning up the music and jamming out to their favorite song.
- It’s taking five to ten minutes to look them in the eyes and connect with them. Maybe teach them your favorite old-school card game after dinner or take a quick walk around the neighborhood.
Quality time doesn’t have to mean planning a full day of activities; it can mean finding the right activities to fit your day!
Intentional with your growth
You are the greatest resource your child has. We want to help you invest in that resource!
Our Parent Connect podcast is meant to help you feel equipped and prepared for the parenting journey. Our latest episode, “Raising Kids To Have Integrity,” explores what it looks like to help kids build a solid foundation for a life of integrity in a culture that seems to value this virtue less every day.
Proverbs 10:9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Come join us as we talk about how to help our kids live this out!
Intentional with your community
Raising kids is no easy task. As parents, we care about their future and place a high value on everything from friendships to education to extracurricular activities.
In an unpredictable world filled with challenges and risks, we tend to worry about things that might harm our kids’ futures. But we’re human too! Our mental, social, emotional, and spiritual health matter.
Raising kids is a big job. We need people in our lives to walk on this journey with us and share the joys, challenges, and surprises of parenthood. Join an Elevation eGroup to find your people!
