5 Ways a Busy Parent Can Be There for Your Kids
Being there for our kids can be somewhat challenging when you are a single parent and work demands your attention. I talk with quite a few guys on how they balance work and family and we came up with 5 ways to be there for our kids and balance work. We always welcome your comments and suggestions
1. Calendar Your Kids
Everyone in the Family is busy. This place. That place. Make sure to schedule a specific time that is just for your children. Calendar them in so that the time is blocked and doesn’t slip your mind also communicate with them to find out what is going on with them so there is no conflict for older kids.
2. Equal Passion
We as guys work hard for our Family, do we give the same passion to your family? The most important work you will ever have is being a father and husband. Try to prioritize your life in such a way that your daily amount of passion is divided appropriately.
3. Core Values
No man can have it all. Accept it. Coach Tony Dungy speaks often about a man’s core values. Seriously consider the things that are most important to you and let them be your guide. In his book Uncommon, Coach Dungy refers to this as “finding our landmarks.” When you get lost, those landmarks will guide you back safely to where you belong.
4. Lighten Up
From the same book, Coach Dungy also asks the question, “Are you ever silly around your kids?” Life is serious business. Yet, we must be able to relax enough to find joy as well. One should never totally lose the spirit of the child we once were. Relax and smile. Splashing around in a few puddles never hurt anybody either.
5. Spread It Around
Most people take too much upon their shoulders. Success is usually brought about by excellent teamwork. Don’t be a ball hog. Kobe Bryant spent several seasons frustrated by not winning championships. Then he learned to start trusting his teammates and another Lakers championship was brought home. Trust the people you work with. Trust your family and your friends. By sharing your duties with those so eager to help, you create more time for the things most important.
6. Get A Tune-Up
Your car requires periodic service to keep it performing at maximum level. So does your life. Over time our lives become clogged with unnecessary time consumers. Optimize your own engine by cleaning out the things that are needlessly wasting your time. Take a look at your personal habits and how you spend each minute of your day. Rid yourself of the needless waste.
7. The Babysitter
Build yourself a network of reliable and trustworthy caretakers for your children. So many marriages are drowned in a sea of neglect. A healthy relationship requires attention and work just like anything else in life. This requires time alone. When you find a good babysitter, treat them right and pay them well. They are invaluable to the corporation you call the family.
8. The Outlet
A lot of men play golf. Basketball is always popular. Flag football leagues for men are sprouting up all over. Why? We need an outlet. Maybe it’s hiking. Fishing. Hundreds of possible ways exist for you to escape your day to day. To just be you. This is mentally healthy as long as you keep it in a proper perspective.
9. Be Flexible
We all have our ideals of exactly how we want things to be. Sticking too rigidly to those ideals, however, can create undue stress. Life comes fast and hard and it’s important to be flexible in how you deal with it. Adapt and improvise. It’s not just for the military.
10. Live a Purpose Driven life
As you are created in God’s image, discover your purpose in life. We all have special gifts and traits. Learning who you are and why you are here clears so much confusion. Zero in on your true purpose and your life will follow suit.