Remember the classmate you had in your school days who would always end up getting the lowest possible scores in the class? Or the one who would always be part of the every other mischief going around in the school? Or the one who would always sit on the last bench and never would like to be right under the teacher’s nose on the first bench? Or the guy who would never talk to anyone in the class, busy in his own world? Or probably a classmate for whom the teacher’s had never ending list of complaints to make to his/her parents?

I had a classmate in my school who had many of the characteristics I just talked about. By chance it happened that at a time my class teacher made him sit with me because he was so outlaw that my teacher said he needs to sit with a much responsible kid and that she supposed was me. So he came and sat by my side. I was too annoyed at my teacher for that shift she made in the seating arrangement. So it was only one class and he sprung into action. He would disturb me in every way possible and I would calmly tell him not to do so otherwise I would be complaining to the teacher. I would wonder why he was so indifferent towards others. The answer to my queries came to me when his parents were asked to come and meet the principal. Being his fellow bench sharer I too was called in by the principal. The reason his parents gave the teacher’s was that they both were working and had no time to spent with their kid due to which he was so unruly unlike the other kids. At that time I was unable to understand why would the time spend by the parents with the kids had an effect on the behavior of the child?

So now many of you already know that the time parents spend with their kids have a direct impact on their behavior. Some parents may find their kids going off the track. Some parents find their children turning disrespectful and undisciplined towards others. There are many reasons behind the indifferent behavior of your kids but you can bring them back on the right path. Spend more time with your kids and there are many ways of doing so. Let me narrow down some ways for you-

• Play with your kids – yes sit down or go outdoors and play with your child. This will make your children feel he always has someone to play with him even if his friends are on a vacation or do not turn up to play some times. It makes them happy and has the same effect on you too. Do not let them play too much of videogames. Instead take them outdoors and make them play outdoor games.
• Read to your kids – read to them a story or fairy tale at night. Children love to hear stories at bed time. Stories encourage imagination and thinking in the child’s mind so either read a story to your kid or tell a tale from your collection.
• Art and Craft – make a small paper boat with your kid during the rains or an airplane that your kid will playfully fly around in the house. Teach them how to make butterflies and mushrooms when they are in primary school. Try to encourage your kid's interest in art and if you are good at it then you must teach it to your child too. Indulge in art and craft activities with your child. This will enhance the child’s creativity skills too.
• Cook – once in a week or as many times you want to. Make special dishes for your kid. Make your child’s favorite cookies or cakes and invite his friends. While cooking you can indulge your child in the kitchen too by making him do small chores. This way you will get to keep your child around you.
• Adventure – go out on a picnic or take your kids for an adventurous trip. Take them to the park or an adventure island occasionally. Children are fascinated by adventure activities and fun parks and would love you for making the trip to their favorite place.
• Make them laugh and talk – be a little funny for them because children and you will make a place in their heart. Indulge with them and do silly things sometimes. Talk to them while on the dinner table. Do not follow the “be mum while you have dinner” policy. The dinner table is the best host to the family’s togetherness almost every day. Talk to them about everything possible while you enjoy the meal. Ask about his friends at school, his grades, and sports activities or about anything else related to him.
• Look after pets – pets are a great way to indulge your kids and enforce loving and caring qualities in your kid. Gift your child a pet and look after it together. Take the pet out for a stroll with your kid and you have ample time to spend with the both!
• Study with kids – help them with their homework. Even if he is capable of doing things at his own make a point to be a part of his study regime. Take dictations or read the chapter to your kid. This is one of the best ways you can spend quality time with your kid.
• Take your child on vacations – keep it a complete family time. This is a best way to have that full day with just you and your child around. The holidays will give you the much needed space and time.
• Weekends can be great fun – if you both are working parents then weekends are a great respite o you. make the most of the weekend to indulge with your kids and spend a playful time with them.
• Even if you both are working try dropping your kid to school or picking him up on the way back to home. You can talk to him about his day at school or his classmates on the way.
• Do not ignore your child’s changed behavior – do you notice your child has changed? Do not ignore this sudden change in the behavior. Talk to him and his teachers about his performance at school in academics as well as extra-curricular.

Conclusion

It is very important that your kids have a healthy childhood. It is important that you spend quality time with your children so that when they grow up into adults they have enough happy and sweet memories of the times they had been a kid. For the overall development of the child be it in academics and personality it is necessary to give them support and guidance when they need it the most that is during their growth years. So take out time form your schedule in any of the given ways or make your own ways and give your children the much needed share of your time that plays a significant part in their lives.