Hey parents, how are you feeling about your level of connectedness with your child these days? While your days (and nights!) are filled with your child’s presence, how present are you? With the level of distractions and devices that manage to grab our attention, it feels like all of us are being pulled into a multi-tasking existence! The alerts, ringtones, notifications, breaking news stories seems to insidiously distract us.
I know that I am guilty of it at preschool and with my family. At our home, we have to MAKE ourselves stop everything and listen to our teenagers, and gently request that they do the same. It is disheartening to be on the receiving end of a person’s “mmmmms” and “uh-huh’s” when you are recounting your day. It can make one feel small and unimportant.
One opportunity to connect with your child is pick up time at FUMP. From babies to break into toothless smiles, to toddlers who throw their arms around your knees, to preschoolers who breathlessly recount the tales of their day, it is ripe with the opportunity to show your undivided attention to your child. Take a moment to pause the conversations with teachers and adults to focus on that little one who has been waiting to share their adventures with you. I recently heard of a neighboring preschool who banned cell phone use on campus. I am NOT going that far, but I did understand from where it came.
As the saying goes, it is the little moments that mean a lot. Take that small opportunity to show your child how important they are to you in a very tangible way.