Motivation for Mums 2

Todays advice is: "Give time to your children each day. The time you give makes the words you speak of more value to them."

It has always been said in parenting books that we should set aside time for each child. One-to-one time. Just one parent with one child. To talk, to share, to enjoy each other's company. To do anything the two of you want. Could be everyday (preferred!) or even once a week. To make that child feel special.

Previously when my son was in a different school from his sister, my one-to-one time with him was every morning when I sent him to school and every afternoon when I fetched him home. In the mornings, on the way to school, we would start off our journey by saying a morning prayer. Then we would talk about the days schedule, and then followed by anything else he wanted to talk about. On the journey home, we would talk about school that day. Once a week, hubby and I would "change shifts" and I would have that time with my daughter. As for little D, she of course gets most of this "mommy time" coz when the other 2 are at school or busy with their activities, she has me all to herself.

Over the weekends and in the afternoons, it is quite impossible to have one-to-one time with anyone coz all three are home, and all 3 would be clamouring for my attention, at the same time! And they would be most upset if I were to go off with just one of them!

However, now that they are both in the same school, I really miss the prayer time and that one-to-one time with each, never mind that my daughter only had that time once a week, it is better than not having it at all! Everyday after school, both would be fighting to tell me what happened in school, and both want to speak first!! Also, there is no more "privacy" as they cant tell it to me without the other hearing.

Sometimes I wonder if my son's acting up could be his way of telling us he is craving for attention coz he misses this one-to-one time. However, in this crazy world that I live in, scheduling one-to-one time with each child daily is really not possible. Not with 3 kids, and their very busy schedules!! Especially with the long school days, homework, tuition, CCA.

But, I try. Once in a while, when the opportunity arises, that special someone would get time with me - for an ice cream, or a drink at Macs, some shopping, etc. Not as regularly as I would like it to be, but better than not at all.

And, I better try to do more of it, coz before I know it, they may not want to do it with me (their time with their friends may be more important to them by then!). And I may not be able to share the values and morals that I so want them to learn and value!