A couple of months ago, Kirsten had this great post about how she was working on spending “special time” with her children before the new baby was born. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, you can find it here. I thought it was a fantastic idea and a good reminder to spend a little extra time focused on each individual child.
But I was even more thrilled when my husband emailed me about the article (yes my husband, Tom, reads SMB). He decided to take Kirsten’s idea and apply it in the way he spends time with our children. So every Sunday, he takes one child out for some one-on-one daddy/daughter time. I think this is especially important because we do have all girls. If we had boys, it would be more natural for him to take them to play ball or watch a game together. But since we end up talking a lot about girly things at home, like princesses and wedding dresses, Tom can get lost in the glitter-covered mix.
So far, he has taken the girls rock climbing, swimming, and picked up lunch one day and went to the park. I love that he gets to spend time with each one as individuals. At home, they do sometimes get grouped together as “the girls,” and dominant personalities can demand all of the available attention. This way they each get to shine and they really look forward to their special day. All week they talk about who is going with daddy and what they want to do on their day.
What do you and your husband do to spend time with your children, separate from the pack? Do you have any special ways to celebrate each child that you can share with us? Please comment below.
