Making Time for Mini “Mommy and Me” Dates

Making Time for Mini “Mommy and Me” Dates

I’ve always loved the idea of taking my children on meaningful one-on-one “dates.” It was something my own parents did with us regularly when my brother and I were growing up. Sometimes the dates were fancy (like when I was an elementary schooler and my mom and I got all dressed up to go see the Nutcracker) and sometimes they were of the simple, everyday variety (running to the home improvement store to pick up something with my dad). Because I loved the dates so much when I was a kid, I purposed to start them off early when I had children of my own.When I just had one child, it was pretty easy to make time. We would go have a little swing time at the park, or get frozen yogurt, or play at the toy store… It was never anything super fancy, but it was intentional and it was a great time to make sure that all of my attention was focused on my daughter – no dishes or laundry to distract me. But,baby shoes, now that I have two? Well, let’s just say the logistical side of things can get a bit trickier. Gone are the days when I could leave the house for an outing with ease (especially with a baby who won’t take a bottle…). So,baby bedding, we’ve had to get creative.AdvertisementRecently, I was feeling like it had been awhile since my toddler had really received my undivided attention and it was pretty obvious that she was craving some mama time. With an 8-month-old around, she often gets the short end of the stick where my time is concerned. Thankfully, she really adores her baby brother and is such a great helper and a good sport about sharing for the most part. That said, everyone needs one-on-one time with the people they love sometimes. And so I decided that a special date was in order, but one we could have at home.$34.99ARIEL “My First Disney Costume” featuring DISNEY PRINCESSWhile she was engrossed in a coloring project, I snuck away for 10 minutes and set up a little tea party in my bedroom for us. I pulled flowers and simple decor items from the other rooms in our house and set up her tea set. Then, when baby brother went down for his nap, I invited her to tea and let her choose a fancy dress from her closet and let her choose one for me as well. We sat down together and chatted while she practiced pouring “tea” and once the teapot was empty,baby car seats, we practiced our twirls – her favorite pastime. It was only a half hour, but it made her feel super special and loved and was a simple way to inject a little bit of magic and some quality time into our everyday routine.Not every “date” we have is a fancy one, though and when it comes to my baby, our mommy and me dates are even simpler. It can be something as simple as strapping him in the baby carrier and taking a walk in our backyard while big sister has her rest time inside (I bring the monitor along) or perhaps a midday bubble bath. Mostly it’s just about pausing to breathe and take the time to appreciate the individuality of your children. Even little babies can notice and appreciate such efforts, and it’s a great habit to get into early!Do you have mini dates with your little ones? What are some of your favorites?
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