Now that the kids are back in school you won't have as much time together as you did over the summer. Make sure to have some family time every day and make traditions the kids will look forward to. Here are some suggestions. You don't have to do them all but pick a few that work best with your schedule.
Before school you may have a few minutes to chat over breakfast. Talk about what is coming up that day at school and encourage them if they have a test or presentation.
After school you can have a healthy snack prepared. This can be a great opportunity to talk about their day, what they learned, or anything else they want to talk about. If you do this on a regular basis it can become something they look forward to.
Dinner time can also be a great family time. It is so important to have a family dinner as many nights as possible.
Bedtime is often a great time talk to your kids. That one-on-one time is invaluable. Kids seem to open up when they are comfortable and on their own turf. Don't miss out on the bonding time you can have with your child when you are putting them to bed. I know this is one of the hardest times of day too. You are tired, you still have stuff to do, and you just want the kids to get in bed quickly so you can have peace and quiet. Don't miss out on this special time. Maybe you set aside a night for each child to have one on one. This way each child has their special night or two and then you have some nights where you can get to work more quickly.
Theme nights are another way to encourage family time. Fridays can be pizza and movie night or Mondays can be family game night. Pick something your family is interested in and try to make one night a week for that activity. It can even be something like biking, campfires, or sports. Anything your family is interested in would be fine, just do it every week.
Spending time as a family will help you kids feel loved, secure, and encourage an open relationship. If you want your kids to be able to talk to you about anything then you need to give them lots of opportunities to do so.
