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“What do you do with
your kids all day?”
How to
Wisely Invest Your Kids (and Your)
Time
By Kristi Knifong
Here are some ideas of how to wisely
invest your precious days and at
home with your children. These are
only suggestions for you to glean
from. For those who love to have a
schedule, you might want to
incorporate these “times” into your
day in 20-30 minute chunks. For
others, who like to take life as it
comes, grab an idea when there’s a
lull.
Beware
of using television as a substitute
for you, it doesn’t even come close!
God has given you the honor and
responsibility to raise these
children for Him. Take pride in this
position He has given you, do your
utmost with the strength He
provides, and you will have no
regrets!
MORNING IDEAS
Get up before them to
have a time of quiet re-fueling
before the day begins!
Shower
& dress
(Don’t let your kids out
of their room until a decided time.)
Your kids need to learn
to respect you by respecting your
time.
Have your kids get
dressed before breakfast,
(good
discipline for when they start
school).
Breakfast should be fun & full of
communication.
Play worship music while
you make breakfast.
Read a Bible story while
you eat together or review something
they’re learning.
Independent play time (while you
clean up breakfast).
Game
time: they choose, get down on the
floor with them.
(Key:
if you spend quality time with them
in the beginning, they will be more
content when you need to do
something alone.)
School
time: teach them their ABC’s,
handwriting, sign language, verse,
etc.
Craft
time: make a mess together! Play
dough, paint, clay, coloring, lots
of variety.
Reading time: get at least 20 books
from the library at a time;
picture books they can look at
without you and story books for
their age.
Try to
read for at least 20 minutes. They
don’t have to sit next to you to
listen.
Lunch
time: be creative! Eat a picnic on
the floor or go to a park in the
summer.
This is one of those predictable
times in the day when you sit down
together, use it to talk & teach.
Side note: Of course, you will have
to run to the grocery store and
other errands during the week. Try
to keep this to one morning a week
or go when they go to sleep so
you’re not having to drag them all
over town dealing with their
displeasure the whole time! Another
benefit to going once a week is you
will not spend as much money!
Also, I highly recommend getting
caller ID so you don’t have to
answer the phone every time it
rings. Designate a few times in your
day when you can return calls. I
don’t know about you, but my kids
act up the most when they know I’m
on the phone!
The only morning I spend away from
home on a regular basis is on
Wednesday’s for Women’s Bible Study.
It is a great way to break up your
week and give yourself a needed
breather from your home and kids.
There’s also the added benefit of
knowing God and making new friends!
Did I mention free
babysitting?
AFTERNOON IDEAS
Exercise time: send them outdoors or
into the garage with bikes. They
need fresh air.
For
ages 4+ use a treadmill, get them
walking and listening to a book on
tape.
Quiet
time: for small children under 3
they will nap, but for older kids
expect them to
play
quietly in their rooms without
coming out until the timer goes off.
Quiet time is over when YOU
determine. Have them use the potty
BEFORE it starts.
This is a great time to
have them listen to the Bible on CD
or worship music.
(KEY: this is YOUR time.
Take advantage of it! Rest, read,
make phone calls.)
Clean-up time: they should be
trained where to put away toys and
clothes, set the timer and
have it be a race. Reward…snack
time!
Snack
time: choose something healthy and
yummy.
Computer time: If you have more than
one child, do something special with
the
other
kids and then switch after 20-30
minutes. Check-out great
educational software from the
library. We like Jumpstart, Blue’s
Clues, Winnie the Pooh, Busytown
etc.
Skill
time: While your other child is on
the computer, do a one-on-one lesson
with the
other
and teach them a skill you think
they need to learn.
Example, for my girls I teach one
how to cook or dust or sew.
Creative play time: build a pillow
fort, dress up, beauty parlor,
bubbles, Legos;
make
believe: vet, doctor, house, act out
a storybook etc.
Help
them be creative and have fun
imagining.
Video
time: our kids watch one half-hour
video a day. They are entranced
because it is
such a
treat. Be very
discerning when choosing videos or
T.V. programs, even a
decent
show can be destroyed by bad
advertisements. Proceed with
caution!
Church
library highly recommended.
Excellent choices: Hide ‘Em in Your
Heart, Donut Man, Miss Pattycake,
Sign-language for kids, Quigley’s
Village……
(Key:
Use this time for when you NEED it.
Maybe it will be to take a shower in
the
morning, maybe it will be best used
while you make dinner.)
EVENING IDEAS
Dinnertime: mandatory house rule to
always eat together. Studies show
that families
who
eat together stay together. Have
Daddy share about his day.
Daddy
time: this should be a special
focused time for Dad to spend with
the kids.
(KEY: use this small
break to clean-up dinner so you
don’t have to later.)
Bath
time: a bedtime routine can be
crucial for your kids going to
bed easily.
Create
a routine that works. Give them time
to play as well as wash.
Rotate
fun toys in the tub, so they don’t
get bored. Buy fun bubble bath.
Jammy
time: are they dressed, teeth
brushed, drink, gone potty? Now it’s
time for…
Story
time: Have Dad take the lead and
snuggle up with them to read from a
children’s Bible that’s age
appropriate.
Bed
time: Pray for them, have them pray,
say “Good night!” Shut the door and
don’t
allow
them to come out!
CONGRATULATIONS! You’re done…for
today anyway!
(Key: take time now to
visit with your husband over coffee
and relax.
Set
yourself up for success tomorrow.
Tidy up, make phone calls you’ve had
to
put
off, email, bills, make lunches.
Then do WHATEVER YOU WANT!)
REMEMBER: this is not the picture of
a perfect day. These are only
examples that you can pick and
choose from. If you do them, watch
out! Your kids will want more of it! |
