I have four kids. I know what they like to do for fun. I know who their friends are. I know what challenges they have and what they are afraid of. I know what hurts them and what excites them. Getting to know your children never stops. It is a continual process because children change as they grow up.
One family tradition that has helped me continually get to know my kids is what we like to call, “Kid Nights.”
A “Kid Night” is when either my husband or I plan one-on-one time with each child, individually. They pick what we do on the outing and we go on a “date” together. You know, a mother-son outing or a daddy-daughter date type of thing. Sometimes it’s a movie and ice-cream, or just a picnic at the park. On these dates, I’ve trained myself to put down my phone and give my full attention to my child. This is their time.
I don’t know about you, but for me, if I don’t schedule this time with my kids, it won’t happen on its own. One day, I’ll turn around and there will be a teenager living in my house who I don’t know. This is a scarey thought, and I want to be wise, like Shakespeare says. I want to know my child. I cannot control my kids. I can only teach them and try to set a good example, but I can know my child.
So remember the “Merchant of Venice” Play by Shakespeare that says: “It is a wise father that knows his own child.”