Parents often find it difficult to spend time with their children. They may worry about when and for how long they get time to spend with them. It can be difficult to balance work and family life, but there are ways that parents can find the perfect balance.
Having two kids with different characters, attention and schedule can be overwhelming, but not impossible! I will be listing some tips I am sure as parents you will find most useful:
1. Be Flexible
You never know what tomorrow will bring. So try not to plan too much ahead. Instead, make sure you have plenty of options at hand. In my opinion, it’s tough to plan ahead, ask my friends or family if they tell me to meet at 11 am, and all hell gets loose at 10:50 before we leave. In my opinion, have a target time and always give predictions, that way you don’t get stressed if you are late. However, if you need to be punctual due to an appointment, think way before, to avoid stress and confusion.
2. Keep your house clean!
It may sound silly, but keeping your home clean helps keep your mind clear. Plus, it’s easier to focus on your kids when they aren’t surrounded by clutter. Chaos creates more chaos, so my suggestion is this, don’t spend 5 hours once a week deep cleaning your house, just make sure that every day you are doing one small task every day like, for example, ironing the clothes, washing the clothes etc. Remember those 15 minutes you spent on your phone browsing Instagram won’t help you get them back, so instead make use of your 15 minutes and cross off a chore and you will then spend less time cleaning on the weekend and spend more time with your kids.
Also just a quick tip: Have plenty of baskets for toys for the kids, so its easier for kids to clean up!
3. Set Realistic Goals
If you really want to accomplish something, you need to set goals that are realistic. Setting unrealistic goals only makes you frustrated and gives you no motivation to actually complete them. Make sure your goals are attainable and reasonable.
4. Give everyone chores
Whether your child is 2 years or older they can all help out with little things and trust me you will thank me in the future when you do actually need help from them, as it also boosts their independence and you will finish your chores even faster. My kids are between 2-4 years old so I actually give them simple chores like putting their toys away, cleaning their table and chairs, putting on their own pj’s/clothes and before they take a shower they go and put the clothes in the laundry basket.
5. Set aside time to do things for yourself.
If you have children, chances are you’re always busy. You may feel guilty about not spending enough time with them, but you need to set some time aside for yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to give your child the attention they deserve. Your self-care should include taking breaks from your kids, having alone time, going out for walks, and relaxing at home.
6. Set Routines
We strive for routines because they work and I can’t imagine myself living without a routine as a parent since it will break the cycle. (Note of caution, do not let your life become dictated by your routine life, set routines for kids and not for yourself) Simple routines, keep the same time for naps and sleep, and don’t create different times for your kids as their clocks will get all wired up and more chaos. Shower, pj’s, brushing teeth, story and sleep time, keep with this schedule and you will master the night and kids will thank you with a good night’s sleep.
7. Spend time playing with your kids
We had time to think of everything, but we can never forget the most important thing and that is spending time with your kids! Use your time wisely as when they grow older you will regret it, as they grow very fast and the older they get the less time they want to spend time with you.
These are what I think you should base some of your time management skills, however, these are mine and you should never do exactly what other parents do as all parents have different lifestyles. My suggestion is to grasp whatever you can and change it according to your schedule and family, trust me you will not be disappointed!
