Tips On Tuesday: Alone Time

 
Okay ...I realized that for some reason I always feel the need to post a tip of some kind on Tuesday, so I am just gonna NAME it for my own benefit! :)

Some tips I have posted ...carrying cash, displaying children's art, decreasing paper clutter, the Launch Pad,  the Stair Bucket, and of course the CAR BUCKET! ..and most of them I posted on a Tuesday. Huh.

I must be feeling a little TIPSEY on Tuesdays! Ha!!

ANYWAYS ...today I wanted to share a great tip that I learned from one of my favorite blogs. I found her via Seeds of Faith ifellowship (every Wednesday). Since then, she has inspired me to be more intent on bringing God into my home, and more part of my children's days on a regular basis. Jessica, at Our Family for His Glory has some great and practical ideas, one of which is a simple thing that has done wonders in our home!

Alone time.

Yep, its a brilliant idea. I know.

Thing is, is that we do "quiet time" in the afternoons where by little ones are down for a nap. My oldest has to do something quiet, that does not require mommy. This is the time when I get any blogging, laundry, prep for dinner, etc. done.

But, for some reason I always kept that for the afternoon during a "nap" time.

Reading about how Jessica uses "alone time" has helped me to realize that kids need a break in the day, just like I wish for on a regular basis! :) Especially, now that school has started and our days are full of stimulation of every shape and sort, we need some rest time away from all of it!


For us, Alone Time means they find a place where they are in the room by themselves, they are to stay in one place for the duration of AT (usually 15 minutes), they should be quiet enough to not interrupt another's AT, and they have to be independent ..no mommy needed.  They can play with toys, read books, color or draw. They can not play on the computer or watch cartoons.


To read about how Jessica uses Alone Time ..go here.

Some things that I took from her was that ...

*Its okay for babies to be alone, when they are happy, their needs are met, and they are safe. Genius! I usually head up for Joshua as soon as I hear his little voice over the monitor, usually happy and not fussy but just awake. Lately, I have been letting him enjoy that quiet, alone time. He usually will sit up there and coo and talk to himself for about 10-15 minutes before he is like "...hellooo...does anyone remember me? ..and why am I HUNGRY?!" ..I am realizing that is a great thing to teach little ones!

* Children may actually like alone, not "in trouble" or "banished to their room for an hour" time. And, they do! Ty, my 5 year old asked for Alone Time this week! done.

* Alone time doesnt have to be in their bedroom, it can be anywhere in the house (hallways, kitchen floor, at the table, mommy's bed, the living room couch)

We have learned that Alone Time is great when we are all starting to drive each other nuts (or, maybe its just me), when we have had a busy day/hour, or when things are going great and I can reward the kids with a period of time when they are not being asked to do anything or getting in trouble for something :)

We have used Alone Time quite a bit lately, and it really is a nice little restart to a frustrating day, a nice calm moment in the middle of busy but great days, and something SO simple that has helped bring Less Stress to the Steedly house! :)

It has Worked For Us! ...do you have a tip you want to share?  Share a link and I will check it out! ..thanks all! :)