5 More Great Ways to Spend One-on-One Time with Your Kids

Are you ready for a little one-on-one time with your kids for March’s All Pro Dad Basic Training? Congratulations on your commitment to become a better dad this year. The training habit you’ll create this month is spending one-on-one time with your kids.

The first thing you need to do is pull out your calendar and schedule it. If you don’t write it down and block out the time, then it isn’t real, and more than likely it won’t get done. And once it’s in there, make it a priority. There should be no forwarding to another day. It’s scheduled, blocked out, and you are going to honor it.

Now that you’ve scheduled it, what should you do? Here are 5 great ways to spend one-on-one time with your kids:

1. Take advantage of everyday stuff.

Maybe your schedule is so crazy that it is really hard to do more than 15 minutes of one-on-one time with your kids. How about using the everyday stuff like going to bed, waking up, or the drive to school and practice to spend the time together. January’s Basic Training encouraged you to use the All Pro Dad Huddle Up questions. Block out 15 minutes before bed, 15 minutes in the morning, or 15 minutes during your commute together and talk. Put your huddle up questions into play.

2. Get involved in their school.

There is nothing like a kid getting a visit from dad at school. Studies show that when dads get involved with their kids’ school, they become more interested in school which leads to better grades and social skills. One great way to do this is by leading an All Pro Dad’s Day at your kid’s school, which enables you to have monthly breakfasts with your kids as well as other dads and kids. All Pro Dad’s Days provide great tools to connect with your kids during the breakfasts.

3. Get into their world.

Does your kid love sports, drama, or a musical instrument? Make that your time. If you can’t volunteer to help, then take them to practices, and show up at games. The interaction and conversation that stems from your involvement will be priceless, and it will be something they remember forever.

4. Find a hobby you both enjoy.

Do you both like fishing? Do you enjoy bike riding or running? Find something you and your kids enjoy doing and schedule time to do it together. My wife and daughter have started to check library books out (two at a time), read them, and discuss as they are reading. I can see this working for dads and kids as well. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it gives you the opportunity to spend one-on-one time together.

5. Take part in an annual event.

Do something major at last once per year. Plan it out and make a big deal about it. One of the things I do with my kids is the All Pro Dad NFL Father and Kids Event. Once per year All Pro Dad partners with NFL teams in different cities across the country and puts on this event for fathers and kids. The first time we went, only one of our three kids was able to go. He talks about that event (which took place three years ago) with the same excitement and joy that he did when we first left the event. Find the nearest one to you and put it in your calendar, or find some big event where you and your kids can spend one-on-one time together.

Once you’ve made your commitment and scheduled it, share what you plan to do with the other dads going through Basic Training. Take seflies of your time together and then share them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using the hashtag #AllProDad.

I want to spend more time with you. I’m pulling out my calendar to block out special time for us. What would you like to do?

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