There is a lot of buzz around the term Quality Time in the parenting world. Parents of all age groups are bombarded with opinions and warnings about the role this vital element plays in their children’s growth and adjustment to the world out there. With such an information overload, it is natural to feel overwhelmed and wonder if we are really doing what’s best for our children. Let’s try and demystify this term and understand its implications.

What is quality time?
Quality time is often defined as uninterrupted, focused period of time spent with one’s child engaging in a meaningful interaction.  By this definition, quality time cannot be obtained by just being around our children, like by sitting together and watching TV. On the other hand, it has to be an intentional effort on the part of the parent to engage with their child. For instance, talking about the show on TV and understanding what the child has taken away from it. Now that makes it a bit complex. Not many of us are able to plan and prepare for intentional quality time given the various demands on our time. It might not seem practical, but is it worth it?

What are the benefits?
Spending quality time helps build a strong relationship between parent and child, providing an opportunity to impart values and life skills such as problem solving, relationship building, handling failures, etc. It also enables parents to understand their children and their personalities better. 

Researchers have found that a child’s brain development is closely linked to the experiences that he/she has while growing up. Quality time with parents provides the perfect foundation for a child to grow up into an emotionally intelligent human being,

Reading about such research often leads to feelings of guilt in many parents. After all, juggling between a full time job, taking care of a house, raising children and caring for aging parents, leaves one with very little time for uninterrupted quality time. However, the positive side is that, there are many easy ways to find time for quality time and to turn any opportunity into a quality interaction with our children.

If you are struggling with the how, when and where of quality time, feel free to reach out to one of our counsellors, who can help you with it.