An Easy Way to Find Time for Quality Time with Your Kids (Without Losing Your Mind!)

February 23, 2015

chichen nuggets meal with broccoli and kids talking

Do you guys play the microwave game? The one where you put veggies in the microwave to steam and then see how much you can get accomplished in the 90 seconds it takes to cook? I typically can get dishes in the dishwasher, the table set, and toys run back to the bedroom, all while updating the grocery list in my head and thinking about how much I want a brownie. How do I do it? Dude, I’m a mom and THAT’S WHAT WE DO.

Lately, I’ve been trying to tone it down a bit and take some time every day where all I’m doing is playing with my kids (occasional, errant thoughts of brownies aside). It’s kind of like the microwave game where I’ve been surprised where I can find pockets of time – the 8 minutes before my sister comes over, the 2 minutes while we’re waiting for my husband to get his stuff ready to go, and, my current favorite, the 20 minutes where I didn’t have to make dinner.

Yes, you read that right. The 20 minutes where I wasn’t making dinner.

Tyson Crispy Chicken strips in a bag

Okay, fine, I had to open the oven and put the Tyson® Fully Cooked Crispy Chicken Strips in, but then I had a glorious, 20 free minutes where I wasn’t slaving over the stove, but instead:

little girl in DIY Elsa hair

I had a chance meeting with a princess named Elsa (perhaps you’ve heard of her?).

mom throwing kids in air and playing

I threw my kids around a bit because everyone knows that makes you the Mom of the Year.

little girl running in superhero outfit

I spent some time chasing a superhero around.

family dancing while dressed up in costumes

We had a full-on dance party.

little boy dressed up as princess and dancing

I spent some time with this character.

dress up clothes in a pile on floor

And I pretty much had the kind of fun that reminded me exactly why I had kids in the first place.

eating chicken nuggets as family

And I’m happy to say it continued through our dinner.

playing swords with chicken strips

We may have played a couple games of chicken / sword fight…

mom with kids laughing while eating dinner

..while playing some crazy game my daughter invented where you had to raise your chicken finger in order to speak with an accent (the apple doesn’t far fall from the tree).

family dinner time with healthy options

The kids were happy because they got their favorite: chicken strips in a crispy, home-style breading (they were really tasty!). I was happy because they’re made with white meat chicken without hormones or steroids and 100% all-natural ingredients. And we were all happy because we had a chance to really hang out and make it count.

Of course, the good will lasted for about 37 seconds after dinner when there was an epic meltdown over who was got to put the Abby Cadabby cup in the dishwasher, but I’ll take what I can get, people.

tights with hearts on the knees and Anna hair

I will take what I can get.

Photography by Erica Bean

This post was sponsored by Tyson Foods

Before kids, Kara was the sort of gal who backpacked around Europe in heels (true story), rocked tiny hats and really big bows (sometimes at the same time), and liked to think she was always up for an adventure. After kids, she wore yoga pants. Lots and lots of yoga pants. And worked on creating a permanent indent in her couch. She succeeded. In an effort to get her groove back, she started the lifestyle blog Fabulistas, where she features glittery fabulousness for moms and their kids, brings adventure back into her life with the Fun Project, and generally makes other parents feel better about their housekeeping skills. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.