How To Celebrate Our Children Every Day
August 11 was ‘National Son’s and Daughter’s Day’. It’s a great reminder to take the time to truly appreciate the value that family brings to our everyday lives. In our fast-paced world and ‘always on’ culture, sharing moments with those who are closest to us is essential. It can be easy to lose touch with the things in life that bring real value. When millions of items are at your fingertips, the allure of scrolling through one’s phone instead of paying attention to your children can be a very real one. National Son’s and Daughter’s Day provides a moment to reflect on the people that matter in our lives, and to share time together.
While the day may technically only come once a year, the sentiment is something which can (and should) be celebrated year-round. Any moments you can share with your child should be cherished. But how do you celebrate the day?
Take the time to do something special with your child. If you’re lucky enough to be together physically, there are plenty of activities which you can participate in together while taking care to respect the challenges presented by the pandemic. Something as simple as taking a walk in your local park can be a great way to bond. This not only allows you both time to disconnect from screen-time and reconnect with nature, but also provides ample opportunity to talk and share important goings-on in your lives.
Take into account your interests and your child’s interests, and try to tailor activities you do together to things which you may both enjoy. Your child will appreciate your taking the time to learn more about their interests, and there’s a great chance that they will enjoy learning about activities that you enjoy, too. If they’re interested in cars, consider taking a remote-controlled car to the park. Interested in technology? Maybe drones would be more their speed. Of course, always check local regulations to make sure they’re legal to fly in your area.
If you’re not together physically, you can celebrate the day by doing a zoom call or simply picking up the telephone and saying ‘hi’. Never underestimate the power of sharing time together, whether it is physical or digital. Something as simple as a call to say you care can make a big difference, especially if you’re apart.
Whichever activities you choose to do, take into account your child’s personality. Kids are as diverse as adults, and likely have activities which they naturally gravitate to. Nurture these inclinations, even if they may be different than yours. If you are more naturally outgoing and prefer social activities, but your child would prefer to spend their day with their nose in a book, consider spending some time at your local library. You could pick out a book together and spend time reading through it each night at bedtime. Bonus points? This is a great activity that can also serve double duty in helping your child get to sleep!
Any parent can testify to the occasional difficulties on this front, so keep this suggestion in your back pocket if you’re struggling to get your youngsters to sleep. This is another activity which is great if you’re physically separated. You can also make a recording a story and share it with your little one, so they can play it whenever they wish, even in your absence.
Quality time is one thing which cannot be bought, but is priceless. Choose to spend it with your children whenever you can. Time is fleeting, and children grow up fast. The moments that you share with them when they are young will make memories for you both that will last a lifetime.
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Previously Published on Mickey Markoff Inspirations
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