Short moments of mindful connection with your child can make a big difference in how they feel and how they behave. It can also help you respond more mindfully and calmly to difficult situations.

Sometimes,  days are busier than we want.  Our attention is divided by more than one child, work, many tasks in the home and so on. Making time for connection though is important to our relationship every single day.

Ten minutes of play a day can keep misbehavior away

It’ amazing what a bit of connection can do for your parent-child relationship.  The more connected a child feels the less likely she is to go looking for ways to get attention in negative ways. Play and connection build trust and naturally brings more cooperation.  Why just 10 minutes and not more? I find that dedicating 10 minutes or less a few times throughout the day  is usually doable between errands, phone calls and so on.  And it just keeps filling up your child’s connection and love cup!

Here are 10 ways I have connected with my kids over the past few days in 10 Minutes or less:

1 minute: A hug and kiss.  Repeat often!

2 minutes:  Play a rhyming game or sing a song, my daughter loved learning 5 little pumpkins for example.

3 minutes:  Do jumping jacks together or run from one end of the hallway to the other until you can’t stop laughing.

4 minutes: Turn up the radio and dance together.

5 minutes:  Build a Lego tower or ask an interesting question.

6 minutes: Play a few rounds of Simon says or red light/green light.

7 minutes:  Look at baby pictures together.

8 minutes: Read a book together or a few pages of a chapter book.

9 minutes: Play hide and seek or 20 questions.

10 minutes:  Go outside and play with a ball, bikes, and scooters or take a short walk.

What’s your favorite way to reconnect when you are short on time?

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Ariadne Brill

Coach

Ariadne is a happy and busy mama to three children. She practices peaceful, playful, responsive parenting and is passionate about all things parenting and chocolate. Ariadne has a Masters in Psychology and is a certified Positive Discipline Parenting Educator. She lives on top of a beautiful mountain with her family, and one cuddly dog.

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