Spending time with your children is one of the most important things that you can do. Even if you don’t accomplish anything — a major way that adults gauge how valuable their time was — it still shows the children that you care and that you love them. Committing to spending time with them can help them mature, adjust and form relationships outside of the home — and, one day, with their own children.
Some parenting experts say that you should really look at this time like currency. It’s valuable, and you only have so much. Make sure you spend some of it on them. Constantly engaging in adult pursuits may seem natural, but spending time with them doing the things they love is invaluable.
This is especially true after a divorce, when the value of that currency goes up. You may have half as much time to spend with your children, or even less, depending on your custody arrangements. You really want to make that time count. You can read books, play games, talk about school and really get to know your children. This is your time to connect with them as much as possible, knowing that soon enough they’ll be back with your ex.
That’s why a parenting plan that works for both parents is so important. No matter how you divide custody, you’re both feeling that strain. It’s important to look into all of the options that you have and to consider how you can plan things out to put the children’s best interests first. You may find that no other part of your divorce matters as much.