Giving Time to All

Giving Time to all the Children

Dividing your attention between all of your children in order to meet their needs can be difficult.  They may be part of the team that is your family but they are also individuals and will have different personalities and needs according to their respective ages. So, how do you manage to keep everyone happy?

Recognise the way each of your children behaves when they are worried or concerned about something so you can pick up on it and help deal with the issues as soon as possible.

Try and give each child some individual time.  The more children you have the more difficult this will be.  Perhaps you could have a rota in place for days when Mum takes one child out for a special trip whilst Dad deals with the rest of the gang.  Or divide into groups where the ages are more suitably entertained.

Stay interested in what they are doing at school.  Try and give time to assist with homework and provide suitable learning material via the internet or books for them.  This gesture alone will let them know you are interested.

If the younger children are around when the older ones are trying to do their homework, try to find creative ways to include the younger children.  Give the younger ones some homework of their own.  Likewise this method of including the younger children can work with household chores.  When the older kids are tidying their rooms get the little ones to join in.  This teaches the younger ones good habits and prevents the older ones from feeling as if they do all the chores.

Whilst the older children provide a certain amount of entertainment for their younger brothers and sisters do not rely too much on them.  They need to enjoy playing with their siblings opposed to resent having to take care of them too much.  Organise play dates for your children to play with their school friends.