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Hi Taylor
- I feel like this happens every Fall—the kids go back to school
but then I forget that I need to somehow keep them occupied in the
afternoons while I finish working. Any tips for a working mom and
mother of three?
Hi Melissa - I totally empathize. The time between drop off and
pick up on those first few school days always flies by well before
I can get all my work in. Suddenly the kids are back home and need
entertainment, and parents can't always provide it.
I try to be with my kids a few days a week after school, but it's
still a good time to teach independent play. Depending on their ages,
you can either prep activities or make this a time for your children
to be productive. |
1. Activities.
If I'm feeling industrious, it's always fun to put half an hour
into setting something up that the kids are excited to come home
to. You can do it the night before, on a lunch break, whenever
you feel like you can afford a few minutes of setup. Things that
have worked for us in the past include scavenger hunts, inventing
a new board game, playing in a fort, or some kind of baking/cooking
exercise. A scavenger/treasure hunt can be a great way to keep
the kids occupied and searching through the house for things you've
hidden, maybe with a small prize at the end to keep them interested.
If you have kids that love drawing and creating, turning a piece
of poster board into a board game might take them an entire afternoon.
It depends on the kid, but a little prep will buy you a lot more
time than just begging the kids to go play outside.
2. Productivity. As kids get older, I think it's really valuable
to teach them to get stuff done as soon as they get home so they
have the rest of the day to enjoy themselves. We all know the
joys and perils of procrastination; when you learn to tackle chores
instead of putting them off, you end up with more time for yourself.
We encourage our three kids to help around the house because we're
all part of Team Kovar, and when they get stuff done before I
come home from work, it's a lot easier for us to go straight to
playing. Are they productive every afternoon after school? No
ma'am. But they're getting better at understanding the "work hard,
play more" mentality with each passing year.
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| Afternoons
can be a really tough stretch of time for working parents, and I don't
envy the juggling act you have to do. Hopefully you can balance fun
activities with teachable moments and you and your family will have
a successful and productive school year. Good luck, Melissa! |
| Legal Disclaimer:
Information presented is for educational purposes only and is not
an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific
securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve
risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to
first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional
before implementing any strategy discussed herein. To submit a question
to be answered in this column, please send it via email to Question@GoFarWithKovar.com,
or via USPS to Taylor Kovar, 415 S 1st St, Suite 300, Lufkin, TX 75901.
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