Striving to be Ringmaster in My Four Ring Circus
Duht-duht-duhtduhtduhtduht, duht-duht-duhtduhtduhtduht… that familiar circus tune plays through my head sometimes when I’m juggling, balancing and being shot out of a canon (okay, maybe not that one) to try to ensure I spend individual time with each of my precious kids. It started out simple enough, when there was just one kid – he got all of my attention. Then with 2, I got to have one-on-one time with my oldest when the baby napped .
When another baby was added in, she was attached to my hip while her brothers were in school. So far, so good. Three rings and enough spotlight for each of the acts. However, when I added in a second girl & 4th child to the mix – I started realizing that YES.. I always had the baby with me. But, the other kids weren’t getting any alone time with me. Four rings, and the Ringmaster needs to find a better way to ensure everyone gets equal spotlight time.
So, one night when my oldest was sleeping at his grandparent’s house, the youngest was at her cousin’s for a sleepover, and our 8 yr old was at a slumber party – I asked my 10 yr old, who was on a playdate, if he wanted stay the night with his friend (meaning a kid-free night for us!) or if he wanted to join my husband & I for dinner and a special date. I had presumed he would chose to stay with his friend but boy, was I surprised when he picked going out with us!
We picked him up from his friend’s house, took him out to dinner and then shopping at an outdoor mall. We browsed the stores and got some frozen yogurt for dessert. Nothing extraordinary, but he still talks about that date. That was when I realized how important this time is with my kids. It makes them feel special and I didn’t realize just how MUCH they appreciate the one-on-one time with one or both of their parents.
This is not something I have conquered. With 4 kids, my busy schedule as a mom and as a fitness coach with Team Beachbody, it would be very easy to NOT MAKE one-on-one TIME for my kids. Understanding what a big deal that time is for them, I make every effort to ensure that I keep this in the forefront of my mind and in my schedule. Without keeping my eye on each important object I’m juggling, it is sure to get dropped.
One of the conscious ways I’m working on this is planning to set aside a budget and plan a trip that either my husband or I take each individual child on.
What are some of the ways you make enought spotlight time for each important person in your life? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
