Being a working parent gives you less time to spend with your kids than you would want. However, you can make up for the lost time on the weekends. We agree there are other household responsibilities you must take care of during your off days, but those can wait and be dealt with in phases. Spending time with your kids over the weekends as working parents should be your priority over everything else. This will ensure a strong bond between you and your child and even help you make irreplaceable memories for a lifetime.
Put down your gadgets to spend a wholesome weekend with your kids
First and foremost, limit your screen time on the weekends. If possible, declare Saturdays and Sundays as gadget-free days in your household. We know it won’t be easy to abide by, especially if you are someone who feels the itch to check your work email over the weekends. However, if you want to spend quality time together as a family, gadgets have to go. Put them on silent mode and check on them at the end of the day. This will help you give most of your time to your kids. Even your child will not feel ignored when you attend calls or reply to not-so-important messages now and then. So, to spend the weekends with your kid as working parents, put every gadget aside and get completely engrossed in the activity with your child.
Ask your children about their weekend wish
There might be a new candy shop that your child wants to visit, they want to go out on a picnic or want to play dollhouse with you over the weekends. Whatever it is, ask your little ones how they want to spend their weekend with you or what they want to do on the holidays. Once you know their wish list, plan the day accordingly. Do not only do things that you like. Opt for activities that you all can enjoy together as a family. Always prioritize quality over quantity, because simply sitting beside them on your phone doesn’t bring them as much joy as a few hours of you actively engaging with them. Instead of filling the weekend with countless activities, focus on events that will make your kids happy and help create meaningful connections and memories.
Plan and delegate the household chores
Every working parent leaves their weekends free to tackle the household chores. You are not at fault for prioritizing it because your house would be very disorganized without it. However, instead of spending the whole weekend cleaning and taking care of other household chores by yourself, why not delegate the responsibilities to your partner, family, and even older kids? This way, your chores get completed quickly, and you get ample free time to spend with your child. If there are certain tasks that only you can do, complete them after putting your kiddos to bed.
Create weekends traditions
On weekdays, it gets difficult for working parents to bring everyone together at the table for meals. However, to bring a sense of stability and belonging to your family, you can create weekend rituals. You all can enjoy every meal together as a family every Saturday and Sunday. Moreover, cooking together, trying new recipes (as suggested by your kiddos), going for an evening walk, and so on can also be part of your weekend tradition. This will give you ample opportunity to bond with your kids as working parents.
Lastly, meet your friends and family for some of these weekends, making your kids tag along. This will help you rejuvenate and unwind. Moreover, it will help your kids become more social and allow them to have a good time with their extended family.
So, parents, don’t let your work hinder your quality time with your kiddos. Enjoy the weekends with your children to the fullest, keeping these points in mind.
