Quality Time or Quantity Time

Do you run yourselves ragged trying to cram

a week’s worth of quality time into your evenings

and weekends?  As a result, you feel even more

pressure and guilt because all this quality time

has left no time for housework and the more mundane

aspects of family life.  So you feel stressed,

overwhelmed and even more frustrated.

Spend quality time working side by side with your kids.

Sunday Night Panic

Our family used to hate Sunday night. After church services,

dinner together and then relaxing naps, I would turn into

Frankenstein around 4 pm.

Is there hope?  Absolutely!  First you need to

know that quality time, as many of you perceive

it to be, is erroneously based on two myths.

Myth #1:  Quality time must be spent doing

educational or recreational activities.

Reality:    The truth is quality time just needs

to be time spent.  Going to zoos, movies or museums

can be wonderful time spent together.  But if you

are merely cramming the activities into your life

in a frenzied rush, you and your children won’t

experience a real sense of relaxed camaraderie.

In all actuality, they may prefer some time working

side by side with you on a family project or task.

Myth #2:  Quality time means lots of time.

Reality: Not necessarily. Hours and minutes alone

don’t measure quality time.  Quality time can mean

a hug, a pat, a reassuring chat, telling jokes while

doing dishes, sharing confidences while pulling weeds

or just working together on a project.  These types

of parent/child interactions can be some of the most

valuable and treasured times of all.

So quit feeling guilty.  We don’t need to blast

through chores in order to spend quality time with

our kids.  Our time working together can be quality

time, too.  And better than that, working together

can even be fun!  Cooking, washing windows and mowing

the lawn won’t be perceived as dreaded chores if

children do them right along with you–especially when

you’re talking as you go, learning more about each

other and teaching specific skills in the process.

These myths are an excerpt from my book:

Kids, Chores and More. To learn about this handy

little resource check out:

http://www.responsiblechildren.com/main.html

This one small investment just may be one of the

smartest things you can do for your family.

Spend quality time working side by side with your kids.