Special One-on-One Time

Everyone needs a one-on-one attention, don't they?  I've found that although my boys LOVE doing things together, there is also something so very special and emotionally necessary about getting personalized attention.

For my middle son, this is critical.  When discipline and defiance issues flare up, it is always a clear cue that he is in need of some special time with me.  I've noticed this with him more than the other two so far.  Has anyone else experienced that with one of their children?

'Special time' can take various routes.  We prefer to keep it simple over here. 

• Special mommy-child walks.
• Running errands without siblings.
• Being read to in another room, apart from siblings.
• Playing a game - uno, go fish, candyland, etc.
• One-on-one pretend play.
• New Montessori game or other sorting activity.
• Special meal-prep helper.  (Everybody rotates doing this, as long as I have the patience and time that day.)

My middle child THRIVES on walks.  I wrote about it before when I ended up backpacking him around the neighborhood after a particularly rough week.  He not only looks like me when I was that age (with shorter hair and a little more meat on his bones), but also has my same need for the great outdoors.  For him, special walks -just the two of us, works wonders.  It doesn't even have to be long: fifteen minutes and we're golden.  He opens up, communicates more and responds better to my leading and direction at home. 

For Treyton, I usually put him down for his nap before the other boys go down.  (Everybody rests for at least an hour each afternoon over here.)  While the older boys clear the table and play, I take Treyton upstairs and we read a book.  I don't think he minds going down before his brothers because he anticipates our special reading time.  It is fun to talk to him and interact without the other boys 'helping' him out.  Trey also thrives on having me join him in his imaginative play from time to time.

Each child is unique and finding out what 'special time' really rocks their world is a delight and well worth the effort to discover!

Part 5/6 in my series on Integrating Little One's into the Learning Journey.