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Do you ever wonder why sometimes you get frustrated when you are spending time with your family and it doesn’t go the way you pictured it in your head? I know I do! I usually think of all these things I want to do and all these memories I want to create and it never quite turns out the way I thought about it going in my head.
Let’s talk about boundaries. Boundaries are a great way for us to help protect our time. It means we value what we are protecting and that is the time that we are spending with our family. Time is a precious resource and we can never get it back no matter how much money we have. Our family deserves our attention and energy.
Devices can distract from the most important things in front of you!
No Distractions – Distractions are the main reason why people feel so disconnected. There are so many things that are grabbing our attention today mainly the phone. When we have the phone in our hands we are not paying attention to the people around us and we can give off the impression that they are not worth our time or energy. Children feel this especially because their need for your attention helps them create and build self-confidence and this will play out later on in their lives. Have a rule during family time that the phones or devices take a time out until you are finished with your activity. It doesn’t have to be a long time but enough that each kid feels your attention. This is such a cute idea on where to store your devices during family time!
Planned activities– I love being spontaneous but sometimes when you have kids especially if they are little being spontaneous can end up in disaster. Who hasn’t forgotten to pack the diapers on what you thought was a short trip but ended up being well… not!🙋🏻♀️ Yup! Been there done that. Planning for fun may seem tedious but it lends itself to less stress. Think of the activity you want to have with your kids and then plan for all the things that may or may not be needed. Aka… always I mean always have a large pack of wipes on hand for any disaster. Here’s a great book that has some fun ideas for your family!
Fill My Bucket People Only– You know you have that one family member who is always harping on about how the world is going to end tomorrow? Do they fill your bucket? When you are trying to connect with your children or spouse make sure that you are protecting your time, space, and energy by not including people (yes even in your family) who would steal your time, space, or energy. You don’t need to be arguing with Aunt Betty while your little Johnny is crying for you to push him on the swing. Protect your family time that way you can come back to Aunt Betty with energy and give her your full attention when it’s appropriate. If you have a hard time telling Aunt Betty no here’s a great book on boundaries.
Play with Purpose- When my daughter was little I focused a lot of playtime on building fine motor skills as well as social interactions with others. Now that my daughter is older I will use the one-on-one time that we have to talk about deeper heart issues or talk about goals she may want to have for her future. Allowing for the purpose to drive play doesn’t only create great memories but it brings in a rich learning and bonding experience for all those who are in the family. When you play on purpose it gives the moment a long-lasting effect. Here is a fine motor skill game that would be fun!
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