Spend Less Money, Spend More Quality Time with Kids
Greenville Parenting Examiner introduces the Quality Time Project©, created to get parents and kids to spend more one on one time together. The project consists of a series of articles full of ideas on how parents can spend less money on kids and spend more time getting to know kids while building lasting memories.
All ideas in the series will cost very little money, mostly in the “free to $5.00” range and will feature businesses and resources in the Greenville, SC area. Even if you’re a parent in another area of the state or county, you may have similar resources in your area and be able to use these same ideas with your children.
Quality Time Memories Last
When children are grown, most will not remember the latest toy or gadget parents purchased for them. They will however remember parent child moments together and daily, weekly and seasonal rituals such as eating family meals together, picking strawberries as a family and bedtime stories and hugs. The universal thing that kids truly value the most is enjoyable time with a parent.
In the book Positive Discipline (Ballentine Books, 2006), author Jane Nelsen recommends to “set up a schedule for spending special time with children on a regular basis.”
- Preschoolers: For children under age 6, daily special time is important and can be incorporated into morning routines and bedtime routines.
- Elementary School Age: For school age children, it can help to decide on a specific time each week when a parent and child will spend focused time together. It’s like a standing date for parent and child on a weekly basis.
- Teenagers: It’s great if a parent can spend quality time on a weekly basis, but some parents of teens feel lucky if they can find time even once a month that a teen can devote to parent child time together.
Parents, build lasting memories using ideas in The Quality Time Project© from the Greenville Parenting Examiner as well as your own great ideas. When you find a fun, inexpensive way to spend time with your child, e-mail Greenville Parenting Examiner at KellyPfeiffer@THINKitTHROUGHparenting.com so it can be shared with other parents.
The first quality time idea is a challenge to spend $5 at Frankie's Fun Park with a few fun rules for parent and child.
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