9 ideas for one on one time with your child

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With 4 kids it is difficult to find time every day to devote to one on one time with each one of my kids. It doesn’t happen each day but I make sure they each get special time frequently. We call it “special time” because it usually involves something extra special.

1. Bowling- when was the last time you went bowling? My 5 year old, er um 5 1/2 year old, loves this special time. Sadly, he often beats me. The bumpers in the gutters deflate when it is my turn to bowl and I often end up right there!

2. Arts and Crafts- many stores have great arts and craft ideas in their dollar section. My kids don’t really know it costs only a dollar so they don’t care but, my daughter especially loves when she and I have crafty time together.

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3. Ice cream date- need I say more? Well in all honesty this is one that I enjoy just as much as they do. Sometimes I pick up one of my kids from pre-school early and take them to the ice cream shop by there school. We talk about what he/she learned today and enjoy the sweet taste of ice cream.

4. Bubble baths- I am not a fan of putting a ton of soap in the tub every bath night but I will occasionally add extra and make bubbles for them. I try and make bath time a special, one on one, fun time….and bubbles always help!

5. Birth Story-If your kids are anything like mine they love to hear the story of their birth. This works great if your kids are adopted too…share their “gotcha story.” I find that the more details (minus some obvious ones) the better, they love this.

6. Extra hour- Once and a while I will let my oldest child stay up an extra hour after bed time. Once everyone else is tucked into bed I will sneak into his room and we’ll go downstairs to the playroom and pick out some of his favorite books or play a game of Guess Who. He loves these nights!

7. Make cookies- You don’t have to be Betty Crocker to make delicious cookies, just buy the pre-made ones. My daughter especially loves when we bake cookies together. I make a big deal of  it too. We put on our aprons, gather all the ingredients, measure everything out and mix away.

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8. Chalk it up- Have you ever just had a conversation while drawing on the pavement with chalk? My middle son seems to light up and open up when we have special chalk time together. He’s not much of a napper anymore so I sometimes will let him stay awake during nap time and we’ll go draw pictures on the pavement together. The stories that come up are amazing and often comical.

9. A special good night- I have a special saying that I say to my kids right before bed. (I’m not going to share it though.) I have a different nickname for each one of my kiddos- stinker, buggie, princess, and bubby. Each night I make a point to tell them that they are my “favorite stinker” (or other nickname) in the whole world and then say our special saying. They think that I only do this with them (and not with their siblings) it makes them feel pretty special.