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Make a Date With Your Kids for Quality One-on-One Time

By Sara-Lynne Levine, Ottawa CAN Publisher February 11, 2015
As a working mom, I’m very conscious about the amount of quality time I spend with my kids.

Since my 12-year-old was little, I have been taking my kids out on “dates.” Every few months, I take a child out for a few hours on the date of his choosing. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it’s a chance for us to have that one-on-one time that’s so important. The time alone without a sibling cutting in allows for real conversations, stories, and (hopefully) memories. I also get to see the kids differently, without the stress of rushing to an activity or completing a school assignment.

Dates have varied depending on age and interest. When my big son began learning about music (and I mean real music like The Stones, The Beatles, etc.), we made a trip to the Hard Rock Café for lunch. When he started learning about world history, we visited the War Museum. My little guy has a raging sweet tooth, so on his date all he wanted to do was visit a local candy store. Another time, the two of us painted pottery. One of our favorite dates was checking out ice sculptures during a winter festival and enjoying maple taffy treats. The activities are simple but it’s the quality time that makes it special.

I expect the day will come when my company is not so desired, so for now, I relish these opportunities to spend time with my kids. These dates are something we both can enjoy and treasure.

Do you take your kids on dates? Leave your "date" ideas in the comments below.