Jill is the amazing Mom behind A Mom with a Lesson Plan, she also happens to be my best friend, even though we live several states apart. She has been my go-to person for anything parenting related, especially to just give me the confidence boost that I’m doing alright at this parenting thing.
If you’re anything like me and need that confidence boost to know that you’re a great parent, Jill has created this Confidence Parenting Challenge that you need to take part in! She will give you tools to make it so obvious that you’re rocking this whole parenting gig. Sign up for it here.
One of her tools is taking care of yourself. Doing something for you. I often find that I forget about myself. She’s sharing some of her secrets here today for that.
How to Find ‘Me’ Time During Activities
One of the things that we have learned from Hands On As We Grow, is to really pay attention to what our kids are interested in.
This makes sense of course. If they are excited about an activity they will stay engaged longer, be excited to expand on it and come back to it multiple times.
All of these are great reasons to be intentional and thoughtful about the activities you choose.
But I want to take it one step further.
Plan activities with your kids in mind… but also consider YOU!
Planning activities is actually a really great opportunity to get in some much needed me time.
How to make doing kids activities all about YOU
Pair activities with things you enjoy.
Do you love being outside? Set up art on the patio. Does quiet music calm your nerves? Turn it on in the background while you have fun with a scavenger hunt.
Adding these little bits of joy in your life on a daily basis will help keep you happy. It will also make the activities more enjoyable for you.
Take note of “hands off” activities.
You know the ones that need very little supervision (like rubber bands and a can or trace to erase). When you prep those, also prep something for you to do.
You can read a book, write in your journal or call an old friend while your little one is engaged in the activity. That makes it a win for everyone!
Find activities you enjoy preparing.
There are certain types of activities that you will be drawn to. They might get you moving, they might get your creative juices flowing or they might just be something you really have fun doing.
When my kids were younger (toddler and preschool age) I enjoyed setting up elaborate pretend play areas. The kids loved them and so did I. It allowed me to get creative and crafty.
Thinking about yourself is important for you and for your kids.
When you are actively working to fill yourself up, you will find that you have more patience. You will be able give yourself a break when something doesn’t work.
And you will start to really enjoy being a parent. (Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful gift to your kids?)
I started a free 30 day challenge to help parents build up confidence. Join the next Confident Parenting Challenge today. We will spend 30 days learning how to stand firm in the belief that you are a GOOD PARENT (even when the house is a mess, the baby is crying and you haven’t quite gotten to that shower).
Share your favorite kid activity in the comments.
How to Make Doing Kids Activities All About YOU on handsonaswegrow.com
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