What does “spending time with your children” mean?

I wrote a post on the Dadsworld page on www.facebook.com today about how young children, ages 2-10 are starved for attention from their parents.  Many, many parents either don’t know what really spending time with their kids means, or they don’t have it high on their priority list (which boggles my mind…) 

I often go to places with our kids and see other Moms and Dads who are basically ignoring their own children.  You have no doubt seen it too,  at the playgrounds, in department stores, on walks, at the grocery store, and even in their own home.  Many parents feel like they are spending time with their kids, but they are not giving them focused attention.  Being in the same general vicinity to your kids does not qualify as spending time with them. 

The lady I saw at the playground the last few times I was there, who spends the ENTIRE time on her cell phone while her kids are on the play structure is NOT spending time with them.  The mother who took her kids to a play area in a popular family entertainment center this past weekend, then left for 10 minutes to go get food, came back and spent the entire time talking with another Mom, was NOT spending time with her kids.  On several occasions my wife and I have disciplined other children and even helped them when they got hurt and their own parent was nowhere to be found…too busy to really pay attention to their own child.  It always makes me and my wife angry and sad. 

Dadsworld wants parents to be involved.  Kids NEED parents to be involved.  Play with your kids.  Tell them stories.  Talk to them, sing and dance with them.  Wrestle and run with them.  Give them focused attention for at least 15 minutes a few times a day.  No cell phones, no internet, no television, nothing but you and your children interacting.

Remember, the days are long, but the years are short. 

NOW is the time to bond with your kids and create a LOVING family.  Kids need to feel cared about and loved, and the way to do that is to spend time with them.  Don’t spend time AROUND them, spend it WITH them.