What can you do when you are not home after school to connect with your child, help with homework, and maintain a close connection with their daily life?
Find a routine you can commit to and be there at those times. Use these times to discuss classes, homework and any wins or challenges. Most importantly, use these ideas to build connection with your child and make them sacred times you do not easily schedule over. Some ideas for making time:
1. make sure you are the one driving to school so you have that time to connect, since you cannot do it after school.
2. If you are home at dinner time, make sure you eat together regularly–even if it is take out food because you do not have time to cook,
3. Plan a weekly day/night out where they can look forward to having alone time with you without distractions doing things you both love,
4. Check in when you do arrive home, sit on their bed or where ever they are and ask questions–how was your day? any new kids at school this year, what are they like? or I have had a challenging week, how about you any challenges lately? — and then listen.
5. If you really are not around much after school find a group of parents of your child’s friends that you stay close with who can also hold your child and create a safe container. Maybe invite them and their children over regularly on weekends so that bonds are made and a village is formed. This is the most important thing you can do, whether your a stay at home mom or a traveling business woman. Find ways to form a village where you are not the only one watching out for your child and you have close contact with their “gang” of friends.
