Special Time

SPECIAL TIME IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO GET TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR CHILD AND TO GET MORE FREE TIME.  THIS WILL WORK WITH ONE OR MORE CHILDREN AT HOME, BECAUSE EACH CHILD WILL WANT THEIR OWN SPECIAL TIME. 

• GIVE IT A NAME: IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS ‘SAMANTHA’S SPECIAL TIME’ OR MORE INTERESTING LIKE ‘MATTHEW’S MAGIC MOMENTS’

• IT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE EVERYDAY AND IS NEVER TAKEN AWAY FOR PUNISHMENT!  YOU CAN EVEN DO IT OVER THE PHONE IF YOU ARE AWAY.

• IT SHOULD NOT BE JUST BEFORE BED, SINCE THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO THEN IS TO READ A BOOK. 

• SPECIAL TIME SHOULD LAST FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES.

• TWO SIMPLE RULES; 

• THE CHILD GETS TO PICK THE ACTIVITY

• YOU GET TO PICK THE TIME

• EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES: COOKING, PLAYING A GAME, MAKING A CRAFT, BUILDING A PROJECT, GOING FOR A WALK, PLAYING OUTSIDE, DRAWING, COLORING, READING A BOOK

• WAYS TO USE THIS: YOU ARE ON THE PHONE AND YOUR CHILD COMES TO YOU AND ASKS TO MAKE COOKIES.  YOU SAY, “THAT IS A GREAT IDEA! REMEMBER THAT AND FOR KATELYN’S SPECIAL TIME! NOW LET MOMMY FINISH TALKING TO GRAMMA AND THEN WE WILL HAVE YOUR SPECIAL TIME”

• WHEN YOU HAVE TWO OR MORE CHILDREN, THEY WILL USUALLY WANT THEIR OWN SPECIAL TIME, SO THEY WILL USUALLY RESECT THEIR SIBLING’S SPECIAL TIME TO HAVE THEIR OWN.

BASED ON DR. BARBARA HOWARD’S LECTURE ON CHILD BEHAVIOR FROM AAP MEETING CHICAGO 2000

DR HOWARD IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN AT JOHNS HOPKINS IN BALTIMORE, MD