Why Parents Should Spend More Time With Their Children

Published By The Statesman For The Statesman Digital
2 days ago

Dear 21st Century parent, you are busy working hard for your child/children, but remember being a parent is more than paying bills and taking care of material needs. In fact, the greatest responsibility of a parent is to give time. This is why:

1. Time equals love. You cannot say you love someone yet don’t make time for them.

2. To give your child/children identity. Children who spend adequate time with their parents have a firm identity.

3. To correct the wrongs the outside world is teaching them. The world has many wrong views, behaviors and ideologies. How will you know those wrongs if you are not spending time? Only by being there will you know what your child/children are being exposed to.

4. To monitor their growth and give leadership.

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5. To allow your child/children to know you. Daddy acts this way, mom likes this and that. Many children sadly don’t know their parents.

6. To identify their skills and talent in order to grow them. Don’t kill your child’s greatness by failing to know what your child is good at.

7. To model to them how to live and behave. A role model is not one who is absent.

8. To pray over the environment around them. You are most effective in determining the environment around your child/children by being there. That way you can pray against evil spirits and command angels into action through prayer.

9. To foster better communication. Time spent together makes your child/children comfortable with you making it easier to open up to you.

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10. To show love through touch. A hug, a gentle rub on the back; children feel loved when touched.

11. To counter the negative words spewed at your child/children by naysayers, peers, bullies or even themselves. Encourage.

12. To give them sweet memories. When your child/children become adults, let them look back and remember time with you. No memory is as powerful as that of a loved childhood.

In suammary Parents should spend more time with their children to strengthen family bonds, improve their child's mental and academic well-being, and foster a supportive environment for the child to develop a strong identity and good communication skills. This quality time also helps children build confidence, reduces the risk of behavioral issues, and provides opportunities to learn good behavior and values from their parents.

Emotional and mental benefits

Strengthens family bonds:

Regular quality time builds stronger emotional ties and a sense of safety and security for children.
Improves mental health:

Direct, face-to-face interaction reduces the risk of depression and anxiety for both children and parents.
Boosts self-confidence:

Spending time together and receiving positive attention builds confidence and helps children feel valued.

Behavioral and social benefits

Reduces risk of behavioral problems:

Children who spend more time with their families are less likely to engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse and violence.
Fosters communication skills:

Open communication during shared activities makes children more comfortable talking to their parents about their feelings and problems.
Provides a positive influence:

Parents can model good behavior and correct negative influences from the outside world by being present in their child's life.

Academic and developmental benefits

Improves academic performance:

Spending time on activities like reading together or helping with homework can foster a love for learning and lead to better academic results.
Helps identify and grow skills:

Time spent with children allows parents to discover their talents and support their growth and development.
Builds a strong identity:

Knowing their parents helps children form a stronger sense of self and a solid identity.