Two aspects that are needed for any good dating relationship are: meeting socially and engaging relationally. So when it comes to dating your kiddos, let these be the elements you aim for. Too many of us, myself included, place high expectations on what a “date" with our kids should look like. Simply said, we make it way too difficult. Many of us think we have to spend extended time having massive amounts of fun while spending a good amount of "mullah" to make it extra special.
Not so! And, in fact, those expectations are hard to keep as a family grows larger and commitments start to crowd the schedule. I’ve had to learn to change my expectations and simplify what this time looks like. Here are some ways we have done that in our family:
School lunch is your friend. If you’re able to leave younger siblings behind, school lunch can be a great way to get time with your kiddo. It’s 20ish minutes when you can talk and eat together. A few helpful suggestions:
No relationship can live off of on-the-go dates alone. When you’re able to take a kid with you to a ballgame, a wedding, or on a trip, it will be a memory builder for sure. But as far as the day to day time with your children, I think you’ll find that this small shift in expectations can make a big difference. So, if you feel hamstrung in the date department, let me cut you loose and give you the freedom to make it a lot less about planning and spending and a lot more about small moments with each kid!
To help guide you in how to strike up conversations, check out this PDF. You can even print them out and keep some at the dinner table, in the car, or in your purse.
Mandy Sisco has a love for her Savior and her husband of 16 years, Lance. Together, they have the great privilege to disciple four kiddos: a SHE-E-O, a dreamer, a fireball, and an adventurer. When Mandy is not speaking along side her husband in marriage ministry, she is most at home in a room full of mommas.She enjoys sharing the real joys and raw struggles that sharpen her in the almost-always crazy season of parenting.
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