As fathers, we want to spend as much time as possible with our children. But when that is not possible, what options do we have? If you can turn every engagement with your child into Quality Time, would you want to know how? There are three ingredients to turn every engagement you have with your child into quality time.
The first ingredient is to engage your children one at a time. I am not against family time at all. Family time is good. Family time is fun. Family time is also efficient from the parents’ point of view. But family time is not necessarily quality time from the child’s perspective. And that is what matters.
By spending time with your child alone, you are building a bond that is personal and deep. You are saying to your child that she is special and important and that’s why you are giving her your undivided attention.
The time you spend with your child will provide a safe space for them to share more personal details about their lives.
A father who started spending Quality Time with his 7-year old son after learning about it saw immediate results. He shared with me that his son began to open up and to share more deeply with him. Something that had not happened before.
By spending time alone with each of your children, you are also filling up their love tanks and there will be less of a need for them to fight for your attention.
Here you have learned the first ingredient for Quality Time. Make plans to spend alone time with each of your children this week and learn about the next ingredient for more about Quality Time in the next article.
By Parcsen Loke, Family Life Coach, Centre for Fathering. If you wish to contact Parcsen, please make an appointment at: calendly.com/iamparcsen.