It’s difficult for kids to be shuffled back and forth between households when parents share custody, but it is also hard for you parents. One house may feel more like home than the other and, therefore, your children may be more comfortable at the other house than they do at yours. So what is a parent to do?
With these 5 simple tips, we’ll have your house feeling more like home and with this, make being an every other the weekend parent that much more enjoyable for both you and your children.
1. Tune into Your Kids
When you are
Listen to your kids. Hear what they enjoy, what makes them comfortable, and apply those changes to your own home.
This can be in the form of
2. Plan Your Weekend
Take what you have learned from listening and use it to create a special weekend full of fun for your kids. Planning activities will make the weekend feel more structured and keep the kids from becoming bored. These activities will also strengthen your bond with your kids and help you both get to know each other better.
The more you get to know your kids and can plan activities that they enjoy, they will soon be looking forward to weekends at your house.
3, Show Off Your Bond
As you create more memories with your kids from all those fun activities that you have planned, take those pictures from those adventures and place them all around the house. This helps kids know that you love them and miss them when they are gone. Also, they will feel that they have a true presence in your home and it will start to feel more like their home, too.
4. Set Up Check-Ins
Setting up a set time when your kids can talk with their other parent is important. It will help your kids feel more secure, your ex feel connected, and make your kids feel less like they are choosing sides when they are at one home or another. It is important for children to feel safe and secure, free to express their feelings, and loved by both parents.
5. Focus on Moments, Not Time
It can be tough for parents to let go and enjoy the limited time they have with their kids, without thinking about how much time they don’t have with them.
Your children can sense this. It not only makes you less present, but it can also make the child feel guilty for enjoying time or their life with your ex.
Make time with your child positive and remain present. Focus on creating amazing moments your children instead of focusing on the limited time you have. It’s all about quality, not quantity.
Trouble managing shared custody?