To be honest, I haven't given much thought to one-on-one time this week. Life kind of came in and swept the rug out from under me, so the days went about their normal routine and I really didn't make an effort for more one-on-one. However, as I think about our normality, there is, of course, some one-on-one time that takes place every day: bedtimes.
Witt is in bed at 7:30PM, Nathan at 8:00PM, and Will is between 8:00 - 8:30PM. If - I mean WHEN - they get a bath, Witt is always first. I have that one-on-one time with him and Jeff maintains - I mean PLAYS - with Nathan and Will. After Witt's bath, he gets a kiss on the head from each member of the family and I take him into his room to rock and sing. He gets the torture - I mean PLEASURE - of listening to me sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and my rendition of Hush, Little Baby before a kiss from me and a pat on the butt after he's in the crib.
Then, hopefully, maybe, the other two boys are already in the tub. If not, that's where I put them (if they get a bath, that is). Jeff and I have a little one-on-one time to talk or cleanup or just veg-out while they are in the tub. We check on them from time-to-time to make sure no one has drowned, of course.
After their bath and pjs, there is another round of "night-night kisses". This past week I have started a new book with the boys, Five Minutes Devotions for Children. It's a quick and easy read with beautiful illustrations. Each night we read about a different animal, why it is unique and that God created it. The book also has simple questions to ask the kids about the story and a couple "Why do you think..." questions as well. I love to hear the answers Will comes up with!
After the devotion time, Jeff takes Nathan for rocking and a song or two. Jeff usually sings His Grace Reaches Me. (When I have Nathan, he gets You are My Sunshine... I'm a little less talented than Jeff in terms of singing!) Will and I go to his room for another book of his choice. Lately he has been very interested in the books from the Help Me Be Good series on Lying, Cheating, Disobeying, etc. They are pretty good books about teaching those concepts.
After a book, I ask Will what he wants to thank God for and what he would like to pray for. Usually, it's: "I want to pray for Madeline; that she will be my wife. And for the first dinosaurs; that they will come to life again. And for the trains; that they won't become derailed. Oh, and for my teacher and my family." Just about every night... the same thing. So, we pray about those things in some form or fashion (we pray for his future wife (whoever she may be), that we're glad the dinosaurs were here and that we have fun learning about them now, to keep people safe while traveling, his teacher, and family).
Then it's a short conversation about something random, one more "night-night kiss" and an "I love you; see you at 7." (We ask him to wait until 7:00 before getting up... if at all possible!) :)
With the boys in bed before 8:30PM, that gives Jeff and I a nice chunk of time to be alone, too. Not only is one-on-one time important for children, it's important for adults, too. I have seen such an improvement in our relationship since we moved Will's bedtime earlier (it used to be 9:00PM).
So even though this week is about one-on-one time with our kids, I think it is also important to have that special time alone with your spouse, and truth be told, it's important to have time to oneself. I'm sure you'd agree.
Now, how do you spend your one-on-one time with the kiddos and how do you make room for it in your day?
Pick up next week's topic of Surrender here.
6 comments:
Ok..after reading that I feel like my life is totally out of control. haha What a beautiful way you spend your evenings.
We rarely get in bed before 10pm. I don't get home from work until 6pm so by the time we eat - play - bath - it's so late and we rush through 3 stories and I collapse. We always try to say prayers, but sometimes I fall asleep first. Then we're out the door by 6:30am and it starts all over again.
That is so NOT the way I had planned to spend my days. I wanted better than that. I want the kind of one-on-one time you have. What great parents you are. The fact that your husband is so involved is great.
Blogger just ate my first post. RAH!!
OK OK I ADMIT IT! Some of the lights are still up! haha It's the two strands up at the tip top of the roof. I'm such a spaz that I'm afraid I'll "break my neck and die" (as Brody says) if I try to take them down myself.
I will tell Super Dad this weekend that people in Blogger Land are ashamed of us and he'd better take them down immediately. HAHA Darn - he's got a fishing tournament on Saturday - maybe he can get them on Sunday? After the race?
I can't believe we have become "those people". HAHA
I have become more conscious of this since my baby is getting bigger and I know my older son needs time with just me or my husband. Their bed times are about a half hour to 45minutes apart and my husband spends a lot of that time with my 4 year old. It's hard during the day, but a lot of days they nap at different times so each gets alone time with me while the other is sleeping.
Your boys say the cutest things. As your kids get older you'll find you have a lot more down time. Mine are much more self-sufficient now, which I actually kind of wish they weren't. I do miss the time of bathing them and reading stories. We do still have time together before bed where we talk about stuff and pray.
Of course it matters, Becky! I am honored to be part of your carnival.
We aren't posting because we're too busy not being slow and simple in our lives, ha ha!
No, but really, I think I'm trying to live a slower and simpler life overall. I used to not be able to sit still in the house, especially after the baby was born and old enough that I didn't want to sleep with him all day when I could catch a wink. Now, I'm content to stay home more, not worry about the house quite as much (your organizing posts are making me feel like a slob though! But I did reorganize my spices with some of your suggestions (: ) and spend more time with my boys. The computer is definitely a distraction from that during the day, so mornings I'm going to try to just shut it off more and focus on the boys.
-Sally
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