Finding a balance between training, caring and being your kids’ friend can be hard.
That’s because you want your kids to see you as a parent, at the same time as a friend. This can sometimes make interaction with your kids a challenge.
However, at the end of it all, you want your kids to be able to relate with you in a respectful, yet mature way when they become older.
Relating to your kids on a daily basis will help bridge the gap between being a parent and a friend to them. In order to capture that, here are some engaging things you can do with and for your kids daily.
Thank us later!
1. Play Funny Wakeup Songs
Have a song that gets them up and ready for the day. It’s one way to teach them about punctuality, time management and responsibility while still bonding and having fun with them.
It could be a song formed by you and them making it more special.
2. Reading Books Together
Every night before bedtime, you can read short stories with the kids. As they grow older, you can also allow them to read the stories to you. That way, they are being trained on having a reading culture at the same time connecting with you.
3. Set a Gratitude Jar
Place a jar in an accessible place in the house labelled however you like. Beside the jar, put sticky notes with a pen. Tell your kids to place a note of something they’re grateful for that day and write their names at the bottom. At the end of the month, they get to collect their notes and read them.
This simple activity can help them stay optimistic.
4. Allow them to Choose their Lunch Meals
Controlling the diet of kids is necessary because they need all the necessary nutrients in the right proportion. You can, however, allow them to pick what they get to eat at lunch in school.
In doing so, you get to educate them on the pros and cons of the food they pick. This will teach them how to make better decisions.
5. Watch TV with the Kids
Watching TV has its downsides, while it can be addictive, its advised TV should be a servant and not a master.
It’s often discouraged because of how much time it can consume. When you watch TV with your kids, you control what they watch and you still get to bond with them.
It’s also a great way to start conversations to know what’s happening with them.
6. Do some DIY with the kids
Now, this is not an everyday activity but it is something worth doing on certain weekends with the kids. You can come up with fun and engaging activities like decorative items, scrapbooks and much more.
It’s a fun way to get them to do mentally challenging things and explore their creativity
7. Have Secret handshake
Now, this is probably going to be a fun thing your children will always look forward to. You could even have a secret handshake that is specific to each child, quite similar but slightly different.
This little action will not just build a bond with them, it’ll also build a kind of trust because they’ll see you as their buddy.
8. Smile at your kids
Watch how their face brightens up when you welcome their glance with a smile. Even when you’re really busy, a simple smile followed by the reason you’re not going to be available will make them more understanding.
You do it because of how glad you are to see them.
Once you make this a constant thing, even when you’re in the worst of moods, they become a source of joy.
