One on One

One of the biggest challenges with four children is spending quality time with each of them.  Whilst they are all really close in age and often the same activities and days out are appealing to all of them, I know they all need time alone too and I have been trying hard to give them that over the last few months.  They have always had little snatches of time; swimming lessons, trips to Tescos, days when her brothers are at school but they haven't had time when it is really focused on what they need and want so much.

This week I had a day out in London with just Finn and I think we both needed it more than we knew.  I find Finn challenging at times, probably because I am trying to meet his needs alongside three other children's so only having him meant everything was tailored to that and I could just get on with enjoying him.  Finn loves trains so I based our plans around that and we got the train into London and the underground to Covent Gardens for a visit to the London Transport Museum.

I had heard wonderful things about the Transport museum and it was everything I hoped for and more.  We spent about 4 hours in there in total (with a break for lunch, he requested chicken nuggets, chips and beans because he is so adventurous) and I know that with the other three as well we wouldn't have managed even half of that.  We went up and down and back to the beginning and I could follow Finn and enjoy watching the way his mind works without having to worry about anyone else.

We came home feeling more connected and it has continued ever since.

Dylan had a sleepover at the Natural History Museum, Archie had a day in London with an evening at the Avengers Exhibit and Cora had a slightly more exciting break in Budapest with me and we are back to the beginning now, looking for new opportunities to enjoy each one alone,.

It isn't something I can do with them every week and I haven't chosen the cheapest days out to have with them so far but it has been so special and having these days with them doing things that interest them completely has been priceless. I hope these are the things they remember when they are older - the special days where they got to dictate the pace, pick where we had lunch and always ended up with a treat.  I have started making plans for the next 'set' of one on one dates with them and I will be encouraging Ed to do similar as it is definitely beneficial for us all.

How do you get one on one time with your children? Are there any particular activities you like todo together?