This question seems simple on it’s surface, you may even have a quick knee jerk reaction that seems so obvious to you.  Well, this question is a key aspect of our Guilt Free Parenting moms group offered this spring in Dallas.  Our Group spans 10 weekly sessions and begins Monday, February 8th from 10-11:30am at Frankford and the Dallas North Tollway. 

Our children have a reaction to this question as well.  In their eyes, time is of endless quantity.  They can’t imagine not having an infinite amount of it and tell us this repeatedly each day: “In a minute mom”, “I want to go to the park, the zoo, the mall, and Sally’s house tomorrow”, “Oh mom, I forgot I need to have my costume made for the school play by tomorrow”.  I wonder, if money grows on trees, where does time grow?  I need THAT plant.

So, if our kids believe it is in endless supply, can they even differentiate between quantity and quality (especially our very young children)?  YES!  I have worked with so many stay at home moms who say that they spend all day everyday with their kids.  Yet, when I hear from their children there seems to be a disconnect.  The time spent at the grocery store, doing laundry, and making dinner doesn’t count… not in their eyes anyway… and frankly not in most moms’ either. 

All this said, how does our parenting group help?  The focus of our group is to help parents and children connect.  Children feel most connected when parents speak their language.  On it’s face, this is clear developmentally.  Children just don’t understand what we are saying.  The problem is exacerbated by the fact that as parents we miss a lot of what our children are saying as well. 

Our group teaches specific relationship building skills including limit setting, reflecting feelings, and returning responsibility.  We ask parents to practice these skills outside of our group during once weekly 30 minute ’special play-times.’  Our group encourages moms to engage children in their play and teaches moms just how to do this.

In my previous experience leading this group, a stay at home mom shared her surprise at her daughter’s reaction to their weekly special play-times.  She said that her 5 year old daughter told her how happy she was they were now spending time together.  The mom was happy AND sad… how had she previously missed all of her daughters requests for quality time?  How had she ignored her desire for such a connection with her own daughter?  Join us… learn that there is a concrete and discernible difference in how you interact with your child!