The Value of Spending Time with
Your Children This Summer
By Karen Straim
Associate Director,
Montclair Health and Wellness Partnership
It's important for families to spend meaningful time together. Our children need to see who we are, what's important to us, and how we live our lives. If we always seem to be too busy for our children, they may feel neglected and unappreciated, despite our explanations and excuses. Being with our kids is a benefit to us as well. It's a chance to have fun, to get to know them better, and sometimes see through their eyes who we are.
Summer recreational activities are one way to be together. Parks, playing fields and the town pool are great places for a picnic, a place to play outside, and to relax together. Family excursions are also good opportunities to teach your children about the world around them, through visits to museums or exploring nature.
If possible, plan a local trip where you can walk, at least part of the way. Walking with your kids is a great way to slow down and to have more unscripted moments with them. Talk about where you're going, what you're thinking, what they're thinking, and what you see on the way. It's also a great way for everyone to get some exercise without even thinking about it. Even a local trip can expose your child to new places and ideas, and build memories that can last for years to come.
Please see some suggestions for free local and cultural places to explore on the left.
