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Parenting

How much 'quality time' do you actually spend with your children????

33 replies

Jazzicatz · 19/08/2007 16:16

I know this has been done before, but was just wondering!

OP posts:
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chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 16:24

not enough
always too tired or too much to do.........atleast i admit it

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Jazzicatz · 19/08/2007 16:25

How much would you say per day though chocolatemummy?

OP posts:
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DoubleBluff · 19/08/2007 16:25

Not a lot. I very much leave them to their own devices when they are happy doing their own hting.
Took them to the cinema yesterday.
They are both playig out with their freinds rught now.

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Mercy · 19/08/2007 16:27

Depends what you mean by quality time really.

I don't think I spend enough one to one time with dd tbh (she's about to start Yr2) whereas I spend all day with ds atm - so from his pov it's all quality time I should think.

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chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 16:28

per day? sometimes I only se her for about an hour and a half awake and then its her bedtime but normally I will try and do some colouring or play with something or sit and watch wonderpets with her in the evening and we sit at the table and have dinner. its not much though because I now work full time

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KTNoo · 19/08/2007 16:29

I'm amazed at how the day goes by and I wonder what I've done with them. I was a SALT in pre-kids life and used to advise parents to spend half-an hour a day one to one. I used to wonder why they couldn't do this, then I had my own!

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puppydavies · 19/08/2007 16:31

not so much quality time here - more quantity. personally that's one of reasons why i wanted to sah. we spend a lot of time in each other's company, but as much as possible doing our own thing. i think with littlies it's more important to be available when they need you - whenever that may be - than to focus totally on them at a time of your choosing.

all that said though dp does a lot of one-on-one, more so since new baby.

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cornsilk · 19/08/2007 16:31

Agree with mercy in that it depends on what you mean by quality time. The only one to one time my ds's get is when I read to them and bedtime probably. Not sure if that's what the OP means tho'.

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puppydavies · 19/08/2007 16:32

you know when i say a time of your choosing it's rarely a choice but ykwim?

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sandyballs · 19/08/2007 16:39

Not much usually as trying to do everything else, but I do take them out a lot to parks and cinema, soft play etc. Today I've made a concerted effort to play games with them seeing as it is peeing down outside. BUT, i HATE playing games, bores the arse off me. so far we've done buckaroo, scrabble, uno, snap .... I just hate it all, don't know why.

I'm now chilling with a glass of wine on MN .

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NAB3 · 19/08/2007 16:41

Haven't seen 1 and 2 for very long today as they have been in their rooms all day apart from to eat. DOn't spend enough with them really. I am a SAHM but it is quantity not quality at the moment. Number 3 gets more cuddles and kisses.

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NAB3 · 19/08/2007 16:41

sandyballs, hubby just brought me a glass of wine too.

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cornsilk · 19/08/2007 16:42

sandyballs - I hate playing games too. Especially monopoly which seems to go on for ever.

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pointydog · 19/08/2007 16:43

I've never made a 'quality time' distinction.

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sandyballs · 19/08/2007 16:44

i haven't introduced them to monopoly yet, maybe i won't ever . Scrabble is bad enough, the cheating and crying that goes on.

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onlyWotz · 19/08/2007 16:45

I don't beat myself up with 'quality time' any time is good.

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chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 16:45

yes weekends is our qualiy time, we take her out every weekend to parks, soft play swimming etc or meal at a pub she likes too, se loves nothing better than girly music on loud and me and her holding hands and dancing like mad together in the living room or simply a good tickle on the bed and playing with dollys-she is only 3 going on 4

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KTNoo · 19/08/2007 16:46

Oh yes, definitely quantity. Do you think they'll remember that I was there when they came home from school or that I had my back turned on them in the kitchen while I prepared another healthy meal that they wouldn't eat?

One thing I'm convinced about though - they WILL remember that I took them to the park and they WON'T remember that the floor was never clean....

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chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 16:48

KTnoo
very well put

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chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 16:50

Its my job to work with families who are in crisis or having problems and almost all the children i speak to just want parents to play with them!

so many parents spend too much time
on the computer
on the phone
going out
cleaning
arguing
according to what kids say to me anyway

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KTNoo · 19/08/2007 16:50

Thank you chocolatemumy. I should add, though, that as I write this my 18 month old is transferring wet washing from room to room. Maybe I should go and play with her now.

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KTNoo · 19/08/2007 16:50

She seems quite happy though....

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chocolatemummy · 19/08/2007 16:53

yes the simple things! lol
we do deserve som chill out time and a good chat on mumsnet is relaxing to me

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onlyWotz · 19/08/2007 16:55

As young children (not talking about toddlers) grow up they should also be able to play independently and organise themselves for some part of the day.

Mine have made a nice den all on their own.

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Mercy · 19/08/2007 16:57

That's interesting chocolatemummy. What age group of children do you mean?

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