“Hurry up Kids!”
“The bus is here already boys!”
“Finish your homework!”
“You’re 10 minutes past your bedtime!”
Does any of these look familiar to you? Have you ever caught yourself saying hard words to your children and then end up feeling sorry and guilty?
The days in the 21st century seem shorter, the hours move faster and parents are much more stressed off course. We are all overwhelmed and busy 24 hours a day, mother’s mind is working while sleeping to finish the unfinished daily tasks. We keep rushing our children then wonder why do so, we plan and decide to take it easy, calm down and start a new page the next day. But what that next day comes….the cycle starts over again endlessly.
During my one on one parent coaching practice through that last year, I had the chance to work with a bunch of amazingly loving mothers who wanted so much to have a healthy, calm and enjoyable life with their children but they don’t know where to start.
Since willingness and focus are two main factors of a successful transformational coaching process, we agreed to start with focusing on “three specific five minutes” of the day and make them remarkable for our children. Those are “the last five minutes before the children go to school”, “the first five minutes the children come back from school” and “the last five minutes before they go to sleep”
Are these 15 minutes enough to rebuild the parent-child bond and relationship? The answer is “YES”. Because we have a very important principle at Parent Coach International® that says “Little things mean more than we think”, I assure you that those 15 minutes will definitely be an excellent start ”
The question now is how to make them “remarkable” and “miraculous”?
- The last five minutes before the children go to school
After the rushing, running, and hassle of the morning rituals of getting dressed, having a quick breakfast and preparing the school bag, there is nothing more soothing and day – making than a strong warm mother-child hug with a whisper in the ear of “I Love You” and “Have 
a beautiful day son” . This works like magic and sets the child’s mind to a fresh start for the day. He goes to school feeling loved and cared for by the most important person in his life. This feeling will raise his self – confidence through the whole day at school.
- The first five minutes after the children arrive from school
After a long day at school filled with rules and instruction, playing and studying, away from home and family. A wide loving smile and a welcoming voice saying “I missed you”, “how was your day?” will fall on your daughter’s heart like a warm sun ray falling on wet grass in a cold winter morning. You can then ask her to change her clothes and hurry up to lunch as you are curious to listen to all her stories about how her day was like.
- The last five minutes before your child sleeps
No matter how stressful your evening was, no matter how hard your time was while you were getting your children to do their homework and finish all their chores on time. Never let them go to bed feeling guilty or unloved by you. You might not be ready for a bedtime story, you might have been angry because of a bad grade or an unaccepted answer-back or behavior. Always separate that from the last five minutes daily habit with your child, whether he is 6 or 16 there is nothing on earth like “mummy tucking me in bed feeling” with a good night wish. Those moments will give children a feeling of warmth and safety all night long. Parenting can easily be an enjoyable job after all…. with the special flavor of your choice that you add to your child’s life daily.
Heba Fawzy
PCI Instructor
®PCI Certified Parent Coach
Personal Coach
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