One Parent~One Child

Do you want to strengthen your relationship with your child? If your answer is no - you should not be a parent :)

I have a strong testimony on one-on-one time with your child. How much one-on-one time is your child getting with you and with your spouse? Even if you only have one child, your day may sound something like this:

"Time to get out of bed!" (or in my case, "Go back to bed, please!")
"Finish your breakfast!"
"Where are your shoes? We are going to be late!"
"How was your day?"
"Quit fighting with your brother/sister!"
"Finish your homework!"
"Finish your vegetables!"
"Brush your teeth!"
"Go to sleep!!"

There is nothing wrong with giving your children direction throughout the day, although it could sound a little more pleasant than that! But more often, much needed one-on-one time gets put on the back burner.

Find a way that works for your family. My husband and I go on a date every other weekend. On the "off" weeks, we split up and take our kids on a one-on-one date. He'll take our oldest son, and I'll take our daughter. The next "off" week, he'll take our daughter, and I'll take our oldest son. What happens to our baby you may ask? He always tags along with me. However, when he is old enough to appreciate the one-on-one dates, I'm sure my husband and I will come up with another solution.

The important thing is one parent ~ one child. Make the date about them. You don't have to spend any money either. Be creative. One time, when we were low on funds for the week, I told my daughter to go put on her prettiest shoes. I did the same and we met in the kitchen for a special treat. She LOVED it! My daughter loves shoes, and she loves treats, so I made the date about her.

I encourage you to find a way that works for you family to spend one-on-one time with your child. If you don't already, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how it affects your relationship!