Your guide to making time and spending one on one time with each of your children.
If you have multiple children, you know the struggle to get one on one time is real! Heck, one on one time with just my husband seems impossible these days, let alone with my kids! But I’m here to admit that all the planning, schedule rearranging and time it takes to make a day date happen with one of your kids is SO worth it!
My oldest has been asking for another day date since the last one we had. He enjoyed it so much and I loved spending time with just him, listening to everything he poured out of his little heart. Our kids need this time just as much if not more than we do. You would be amazed at how much they share and talk when it’s just the two of you.
tip #1 - MAKE TIME
Sit down with your husband or significant other to figure out when you can make it happen. Or if you are a single parent and have multiple kids, plan a day where you can swap babysitting with a friend (check out my babysitting swap secrets in this blog post here). Or consider asking a relative to watch your other children so you can make it happen. Will it be a half day, full day, 8 hours? Figure out the timeframe and pick a date and time for it to start. Put it in your calendar so you don’t book anything for that day.
tip #2 - what's the Budget
Set a dollar amount as to what you can spend on the day date. If the date is far out maybe save up a little extra cash to splurge on something special. I use the bottle return money from recycling cans to set aside some extra cash for fun treats or an extra surprise stop on our date! Whatever your budget, set the money aside, or save and stick to it!
tip #3 - listen & make a list
Discuss with your child that you are planning a day date just for the two of you! Ask them where they want to go, what they want to do, and what’s important to them during your day date. It may be something super simple like playing with them at home or something extravagant like going to the waterpark. Whatever it is, write it down! We each make a list of 5 things we want to do on our day date, and have a conversation about the things you can and can’t make happen.
If your child requests a day at the waterpark and that’s just not possible, think of all the other ways you can make something similar happen. Maybe you create your own miniature waterpark at your house using sheet pans, carboard wrapped in saran wrap and use figurines to play in the "waterpark" with. Or maybe its just you two getting in the bathtub with your bathing suits on and playing in the water! Listen to what’s important to your child, make a list, set expectations and be creative!
tip #4 - both of you pick the schedule
Choose one or two things that you want to do, and one or two things that your kid wants to do together. Collaborate and figure out what each of your top two things are, and make it happen! When I started to doing day dates, I take my kids for an acai bowl at our favorite local organic juice bar, VibeWell. We eat our bowls and then enjoy the open Zen room they have to do a meditation and a cosmic kids yoga class together (pictured above)! Or if their Zen room is in use they also have a bookshelf in the back of their store full of great reads you can enjoy while your there. Starting our day here means I don't have to make breakfast that morning, and we start our day off with intention and nourishing our bodies in a healthy way. My son loves it so much that this is now one of the top things on his “day date” request list.
tip #5 - enjoy the day, be present
Embark on your day date with intention to PAY attention and be present. Ask them questions, talk, and listen to them. Snap a photo of the special moments so you never forget how much you both enjoyed spending time with each other without other distractions around. Savor the moments and memories you make; time goes way too fast and kids grow up too quick!
share your day date
I would LOVE to hear about some Day Date activities you have done with your kids too! Are there any traditions you have started? Places or things you love to go or do? Maybe your in the process of planning your first day date?
Post a comment, share your success (or failures, because we all know everything doesn't always go as planned when dealing with kids), and give us details so other moms can read and get ideas too! Snap a photo, post to Instagram and tag me @thisredheadrenovates on your next day date adventure!
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