Parenting is a blessing and fulfilling journey filled with beautiful memories and a sprinkle of traumatic episodes. Those who are fortunate enough to complete this journey and have the benefit of seeing their children and their children`s children parent their own, have bucket loads of wisdom to share but are unanimous in that every parenting experience is unique.

Many parents whether single or as a couple find themselves in a very challenging environment having to balance the economic needs of parenting while ensuring that they make time for their children. This coupled with the fact that there is no set of parenting rules because children are unique, makes parenting complex.
In order to deal with the complexity, some parents cave into the temptation of surrogate parenting in the form relatives or helpers who work around the clock or economic parenting where luxuries are used to pacify the children.

“Children spell love with four letter: TIME” was more than right. Children don’t need available parents, they need present parents. Living in the same house is availability, being present is taking a moment in your day, every day to make time for your children – quality time.

Tips for quality time with your children:

• Mediate with your children – It is important to make your children part of your quiet time. This helps you connect but also affords them an opportunity to learn good habits
• Exercise with your children – instill healthy living by exercising with your children
• Take your children to school – use the time in the car to connect (pray together, listen to their favourite music, ask about their friends and their teachers)
• Prepare meals together – cooking can help you connect and promote team work
• Eat dinner together – make time to eat together and make sure dinner is gadget freeWatch TV together – choose a show you all enjoy and watch it together
• Have electronic device curfew – have a cut off time for use of electronic devices (e.g. no phone calls after 7pm and let your contacts know)
• Go out together – whether shopping or a concert, make time to enjoy what your children enjoy.
• If you set aside at least an hour a day during the week and as much as you can during the weekend, you will give the love (spelled as time) that they need to enjoy you, learn from you and accept to be parented by you. Additional benefits is that you will be able to be part of their lives and have a glimpse into their world so you can be able to parent effectively. Most importantly, this will free you to hassle as much as you should but discipline you into knowing when to stop in your day to do the most important job of all; Parenting.