Think About It Thursday: 3 Parent Ideas that Work... what works for you?

I am kind of obsessed with Power of Moms and have listened to just about every podcast at least once and some of them multiple times. I usually put music on while folding laundry or cleaning, however, lately I have been so uplifted as I listen to different topics of motherhood.

Follow this link to listen to the podcast. 

(1) Children need a minimum of 8 touches during a day to feel connected to a parent. 

If they’re going through a particularly challenging time, it’s a minimum of 12 a day.  This doesn’t have to be a big deal–it could be the straightening of a collar, a pat on the shoulder, or a simple hug.

(2) Each day, children need one meaningful eye-to-eye conversation with a parent. 

It is especially important for babies to have that eye contact, but children of all ages need us to slow down and look them in the eyes.

(3) There are nine minutes during the day that can have the greatest impact on a child.

• the first three minutes–right after they wake up
• the three minutes after they come home from school, and
• the last three minutes of the day–before they go to bed.

We need to make those moments special and help our children feel loved.

These are simple, right?  Nothing really earth-shattering here.

 I listened to this a little while ago and chose to focus on #3 because to be honest... those are not the greatest moments of my day. My two year old wakes up way too early, so I am not always the happiest mom when her sweet little voice greets me before the rooster crows! And bedtime... we have a really good routine that ends with a prayer, hugs & kisses and I also try and tell her something that I love about her or something I appreciated that she did that day. However, after about the tenth time of her getting up out of bed for a drink of water, to go to the bathroom, because she needs to be covered up again, her baby doll is cold, she wants her back rubbed, she needs another drink of water and then being hungry and needing a snack... the list goes on and on... I start to lose my patience and those last three minutes before she goes off to sleep are usually me threatening to close her door or telling her that I am getting mad... So, I have been trying really hard to make those precious moments special and for her to feel loved because I sure do love her! I feel like these suggestions have made me a more deliberate mother, which is what I am strive to be. Do you have any other simple tips to share?