In the blink of an eye summer will be over and the kiddos will be back in school. Make the most of these last few
precious moments by unplugging, unwinding, and really connecting with your little ones. Now you are probably thinking, “Sure I’ll fit that right in between laundry, dishes, chores, soccer practice…” The trick is not to make bonding time one more thing on the to-do list, but to fit it in naturally throughout your day.
The Sock Match Game
You’re a busy parent, you love your family, but the chores still need to be done. How about playing the helping game? The next time you’re folding laundry, turn the socks into a matching game. Lay out all of the socks, and while you fold and hang the laundry let your little one match socks. It’ll be fun watching your little one work on those matching skills and the laundry will still get done. With the older kids, you can make putting away the laundry a race, or see who can hang/fold the most clothes in 60 seconds.
Kitchen Dance Party
Does your child beg to help in the kitchen? Instead of turning them away, let the time you spend in the kitchen become family time. Depending on age, kids can wash produce, chop veggies with a kid safe knife, stir, mix, count and crack eggs, measure, or set the table. You can use this time to talk about your day, teach basic kitchen skills, or just turn on music and dance together while whipping up snacks or meals. As an added bonus, kids are much more likely to eat their veggies when they helped wash and prepare them.
A Family Workout
Exercise is important for keeping you physically and mentally healthy, and many busy moms and dads make fitness time non-negotiable in their day. Instead of jogging around the block solo, get your kiddo in on the act. Exercise is good for them too, and you may (or may not) be surprised to find that it’s you trying to keep up with them. You can push little ones in a stroller or carry them in a kid pack on your back, and get an even better calorie burn in your workout. There is no wrong way to bond, and bonding while getting healthier is full of benefits for the entire gang.
Deborah Shure is the owner and founder of NannyTax, the premier nanny payroll service in Canada. With over 25 years of combined financial experience, Deborah and her team are the most trusted source of nanny payroll information. When she isn’t busy providing “nanny tax frustration relief”, Deborah is spending time with her 3 kids doing all the things that supermoms do!