The need to spend time with their parents differs for different kids. For some, there’s no end to the time they’d spend with you. However, other kids feel differently. There’s no right answer.
According to a recent study, Australian parents rank number one among OECD countries (including most of Europe, North America, the UK and Finland) when it comes to spending time with their kids. The lion’s share of this time is still invested by mums but Australian dads are ahead of those from many other countries, averaging around 70 minutes a day with their children.
According to research published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, not spending enough time with children is the biggest source of parental guilt in Australia.
The researchers also found that it’s quality, not quantity, of time children spend with parents that’s important for their emotional wellbeing, achievement and behaviour for kids aged 3-11 years. The researchers concluded that the volume of time doesn’t matter. It’s much more important how time is spent with your children when you are together. This in no way advocates for absentee parenting. It’s about making the most of the family time you have and reducing feelings of stress for you if you can’t be around as much as you’d like to be.
Here are some ideas to help make sure you optimise the time you spend with your kids:
Be mindful of the importance of unstructured time for kids. That is, time they spend playing alone or with siblings and friends. Play is essential for our kids’ wellbeing and development. Play changes as our kids grow up but as long as whatever they’re doing is child-led, it’s play. This is the time to leave them to it.
This blog was reproduced with kind permission from Parenting Ideas