This weekend Violette was invited for a sleep over so Coco and I were all alone. We ran some errands, grabbed a cup of tea together, she had a friend over, we talked a bit about school and life, we then did some crafting and went out for some food. Nothing extraordinary… but at some point in the middle of this, she turned to me and said: “You know mommy, it is quite nice to be just the two of us”, and she was absolutely right. Though I obviously love her little sister, it is really nice to spend one and one time with my big girl and I really don’t do it often enough.
The thing is, Coco and Violette get on very well and the three of us have a really good rhythm going on, so I have suddenly realised I have the tendency to regard them as a unit. Doh! (as Bart Simpson would say)! So this is my new resolution: trying to sometimes take a day with each kid individually. It a good resolution and hopefully I can stick to it! I am actually curious, do you manage to spend one-on-one time with each of your children?
– Emilie
PS The photo above of Coco and me was taken by Esther when we visited her in the Auvergne last summer. Happy Times!
Comments (7)
Good post Emilie…I think it is really important to do the one-on-one time with each child and don’t do this enough with my two! Especially with my eldest who I feel benefits most from ‘mummy time.’ My two are only two years apart in age so my eldest doesn’t know a life without her sister and I couldn’t do certain things with her just because I had to look after her little sister.
Happy times!!
So yes — I do try to do things with each of my kids separately. But I keep it ‘small’ — it can be a little craft project, a trip to a store, sometimes a museum if they’re off from school and the rest is not… I haven’t yet taken the kids on separate holidays or trips — I’m not sure if I will — I think the usual ‘things’ in life can be just as special to experience ‘just together’. Like you said — nothing special. But special. Thanks for reminding me!!! xxx
I couldn’t agree more….. I have 2 boys, almost 4 and almost 2, the elder is at Kindergarten or at home with mummy AND his little brother, except for ‘Harry & Mummy’ Tuesday afternoons. I organise a sitter for Hugh and focus all my attention on Harry. Together we plan our outings ahead of time, we’ve been to an orchard to pick fruit (then making jam from the pickings!), the library, museums, plays or puppet shows, walks in the woods, petting Zoo….. next Tuesday we are going to a small dairy where we can visit the cows and buy some cheese in the dairy farm’s ‘Molkerei’ just outside of Berlin.
This time has proved to be a gift for both of us, reducing jealousy issues with his brother which was why I was prompted to create this time for Harry, strengthening our bond, giving me time to truly have fun parenting without the dishwasher/laundry/household in sight or mind. It has also helped me to get out and explore this ‘foreign’ city I live in. (Australian living in Berlin, Germany).
If one can make the time, then I can highly recommend it. Thanks for post, it also makes me feel good about myself and being a mum (which is not a given some days! xx)
I know what you mean!
My twins are 5 now and i try as often as i can but to be honest, it is hard to find the time !
In order to spend as much time as possible with them during the day, i have to get as much work done as possible when they are happy playing together or are being looked after by their dad..
But the rare occasions that we have been able to do this, it has been wonderful and somehow, the kids are completely different when solo, much calmer, as I guess they don’t have to try to fight for attention all the time.
Will definitely try to get some more solo time with kid/s again soon but in the meanwhile, spending time as a whole family is rather nice too !
What a great post! And a good reminder to do this more often myself!
I loved the feeling I got from this post!! As a mother, thank you!
xo