Investing In Your Kids In a Busy Season
Sports practices, dinners on the go, lunchboxes left on the counter in the morning, running out the door to get to the next thing. Sound familiar? For a lot of families, back to school is a season of busyness. While busyness may be the routine we are familiar with for the fall, it doesn’t have to be the defining factor of this season. Our goal is to find creative ways to be intentional and bond with our kids despite a busy schedule. Every time you enter your child’s world and intentionally spend time to bond with them, you are investing time into them and who they are becoming. Like all humans, children crave connection. We want to build a bond with our kids and invest in them daily so that when our kids are struggling, they will go to the person who has been investing in them for help.
Here are 3 ways you can invest in your kids despite a busy schedule this fall.
- Car rides: In the fall, a lot of us spend quite a bit of time in the car driving kids to and from activities. One easy way to invest in your kids during this time is to spend the first few minutes of the car ride talking. A lot of times when we try to ask our kids how their day was, we get a “fine” or “good”. One way we can go beyond that is to try to share a high and a low. (The best part of their day and the worst part of their day.) Your child may need a minute to just breathe when they get into the car before they are asked questions. You can give them that breather and still connect with them by sharing your high and low for the day first. I like to start with the low when I’m sharing and end with the high to leave the conversation on a positive note. After you share, it will probably remind your child of something from their day that they want to share. This helps build the habit of your child feeling comfortable sharing not only the good things in life, but also the hard things with you as well. This is an investment that will be well worth the time and energy when your child is going through something hard and they come to you to share or get advice.
Notes: Another way you can bond with your child is by leaving an encouraging note for them where they will see it. If you pack a lunch for your child, you could stick one in their lunchbox. If they don’t pack a lunch, you could put one in their take home folder for them to see when they get to school. If your child is older and driving, you could place a note in their car for them to see on their way to school. Teenagers, like kids, also crave to be seen, known, and loved by those in their closest circles. Written words of affirmation can go a long way for kids who are a little more quiet and aren’t as quick to share what is on their mind. Each note speaks intentionality to your child and is an investment showing that you care.
Family Night: Schedule a weekly, biweekly, or monthly family night. Family nights can vary with the seasons and don’t have to be a huge financial investment. The important thing is that on your scheduled family nights, it is a norm that phones and technology are put to the side. Game nights are great for family nights. Board games are an inexpensive way to spend time together on a Friday or Saturday night. In a world that is constantly on the go, shows that are constantly changing scenes, and games that are constantly flashing bright lights- board games can actually help young kids increase their focus and attention which will benefit them in other aspects of life, such as school. Movie nights are another way you can spend time together as a family. Choose a movie that has an underlying moral lesson that aligns with your family values and spark a conversation about it with your family.
Sometimes being intentional, especially in a busy season, takes a little bit of creativity, but have fun with it! Take some of the most busy parts of your schedule and make it into a time that you look forward to spending with your kids and making memories. By being intentional about the conversations you are having with your kids and the time you are spending with them, you are investing in them. Keep fighting the good fight in confidence that the investment will be well worth it.
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