‘Mommy, carry!!!’
If you are a working mom like me, I am sure you know the heart-wrenching feeling each time you have to leave your crying child at home. Whether you are working to support your family’s financial needs or fulfill a personal sense of fulfillment, being a working mom often leaves you feeling there is never enough time.
I recently wrote about what I do to compensate for the time I spend away from the kids in my blog [link: http://densandfan.blogspot.in/2012/07/from-mommy-with-love.html]. From writing them letters while I’m at work to spending as much quality time with them while I’m at home. But how much can you truly give when you yourself feel so emotionally and physically drained all the time?
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet Life Coach Pia Nazareno-Acevedo through New Beginnings Community’s first Progressive Parenting talk. She explained that in order for us to be able to give quality time, we must have a satisfied emotional tank. Do you know that our kids can sense it when we are unhappy? We can only transfer positive energy that translates to an effective quality time with them if we have a fulfilled emotional tank.
The first step is to check yourself. Conduct your own emotional mapping. Your emotional map consists of five aspects:
1. Self – ‘ME’ or time for yourself
2. Social life – time with friends
3. Sense of purpose – doing something that fulfills you
4. Work
5. Family
Each of these areas must be fulfilled in order for you to exude positive energy. Identify areas that you want to spend more time on and those that you could do less with. By doing so, you will be increasing your positive energy that will also translate to happier times spent with your children.
Now, let’s go to the perennial question. Is having quality without quantity time enough? One thing that got me thinking was when Coach Pia says that it is possible to have quality time but the relationship is not quality. We cannot give our children our spare time and expect to build wonderful relationships with 10 minutes of quality time a day. This normally boils down to multiplying the quantity of that quality. Increase the frequency of the quality time or schedule that works for you and you will start building quality relationships with your children.
Our children need our love and attention. They do not need to settle for quality over quantity. Our children deserve this from us. Strike the balance and make the change.
Also check out what other moms think about Quality vs. Quantity time[link: http://newbeginnings.com.ph/quantity-vs-quality-time] within the New Beginnings page.
Like New Beginnings page in Facebook (www.facebook.com/newbeginnings.ph) and enjoy the journey of growing up together with your child!
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About the Blogger:
Tiffany Lim-Baura, an Account Management Head of a corporate governance business, pens the blog DensandFan.blogspot.com. This smart woman who has the look of a lovely Koreanovela character is first and foremost a Mum.
