Quality time with my son?

Question

My two daughters will be out tonight at sleepovers. My son has been going through a rough patch recently beause he misses his dad who works away for long periods. I was wondering what I could do tonight to give him a nice time to make him feel better? Any suggestions?

He's 7 by the way.

Answer 1

ok if you have any video games you could try to have him teach you how to play it, if there is anything a 7 year old boy likes more than playing video games it is beating somone at that video game. and if you dont have video games then watch a fun movie with some popcorn and soda.

hope it helps you with your problem =)

Answer 2

maybe watch some TV together, make his fave food??

Answer 3

ask him what he wants to do, maybe take him out to his favorite resturant or see, or rent, a movie (kung fu panda or Wall-E?) or maybe play a little baseball or basketball with him or a mini golf course.

Answer 4

Go outside and catch lightning bugs together, play some board games, order pizza or take him to his favorite restaurant. You could also go to an arcade and play games together or rent movies of his choice. Just whatever he likes to do. I would just put off any household stuff- laundry, dishes, etc and focus on him all night. =] Have fun!

Answer 5

What about a Movie & Pizza Night , Let your little one Pick the movie , an you order his favorite Pizza , an just hang out at home !

Answer 6

go to his favorite restaurant or watch a movie at home or go to the movies

Answer 7

Participate in a community project together: Go caroling at Christmas, visit a nursing home, work in a community garden or your own, do a walkathon, make baskets for needy families, bake a cake for a sick friend or neighbor, baby-sit a sick friend's children.

Participate in a learning project together: Research a topic on the Internet or at the library. Research your family tree. Choose something your child wants to know about. My son decided he wanted to have a fish so we researched the care and feeding of fish for a couple of weeks first. Do a science/history fair project together. Help guide your child through the creative process. Make sure he or she follows all the steps in the experimental process, but then stand back when it comes to things like drawing pictures of scabs etc.

Read a book together: Sounds kind of Little Home on the Prairie, doesn't it? But statistics prove kids who are read to become better readers. My son was assigned very few books to read in school and drug through what he had to do. We started reading together - I read a chapter or two aloud and he reads a chapter or two silently. After he read his chapter he came back to me and told me what happened. I was into the book too, so I wanted to know about the plot development, and I was familiar with the characters so could ask the right questions. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, students who frequently read for fun not only gain practice in the process of reading, but also are likely to be exposed to a broad scope of topics and situations in their reading that can provide a base from which future reading experiences are enriched and made more meaningful. A clear connection between frequent reading for fun and higher average reading scores is suggested by the NAEP (National Assessment of Education Progress) 1994 (and 1992) results.

Plan an event together: This can be a birthday party, a holiday gathering, a sleepover, camping, whatever you come up with. Make to do lists, take your child shopping and let them compare prices; have them help with the event setup. If they help you, they feel a big part of the event and it's great for self-esteem.

Create a family project together: Make a quilt, repair the deck, plant a garden, put up food, anything your child can look at later and say "We did that!" I was amazed after we planted our garden this year; my son took his little sister's friend on a tour of it. (No shoving please...and to the left we have...cauliflower!)

Family activities don't have to clean out your bank account. Your kids just want to be with you and have fun and well, maybe that trip to the amusement park, too. You can schedule in the big-ticket items but also just take time for day-to-day activities together at home. Sometimes a dinner-table discussion can mean more to you and your child than any well-thought out field trip.

Answer 8

Rent a DVD a bag of pop corn and make some hotdogs it's great.

Answer 9

Play a nice board game with him,or cards or even do a jigsaw but during that *talk* to him.

Also cooking a meal together (safely) can be fun and help your relationship.

He will get a lot just being with you and having your undivided attention.

Bless!

Answer 10

My son (whos 5) has just had a friend over for a sleepover and we've just had a massive ice-cream picnic!! Had loads of things like sweets and flakes, it was fantastic and the lads both loved it!!!

xNicolax

Answer 11

When I'm spending time with my girls (7 and 2) without my husband, I will either take them to their fave restaurant (my 7 year old's fave, my 2 year old doesn't care), or get a pizza, rent a movie from the video store (which is a big treat!) and eat popcorn.

Answer 12

Maybe watch some TV together

Answer 13

Momof4 really hit it on the head.  It doesn't matter what you do, but the fact that you do do something together.  Television and movies are not "doing" anything together.  While tv can be great occasionally, we put way too much emphasis on it as a whole.  If he's having a rough patch, especially with is dad away, he needs some one on one attention.  Even if it is just going to the park and playing on the swings or in the sandbox.  It gives you a chance to talk to him about what's going on in his head.  Doing something with him, tells him that you want to spend time with him, talking with him, tells him that you care what on his mind.  With two older siblings, especially being girls, and having dad away, he may be feeling lonely.  What's most important is that you let him know that you are still there for him by making him feel extra special.  Moms are great at that and whatever you do, I'm sure you'll do fine.  Boys are a little different than girls, but at 7 they still need much of the same attention.  Even something as simple as baking cookies at home is a huge thing for your little guy.  It teaches him vocational skills, he can practice adding and subtracting, he gets to work on dexterity and fine motor skills.  He feels like hes needed and wanted not just be you, but for a project which boys love.  And the best part is when it's all done, you can share in your creation.  They don't have to be perfect, and chances are you'll be doing most of the work.  But it's the process that counts.  Make a mess, have fun, then have him help clean it up.  It also teaches responsibility.  With so much modern technology we forget what and why quality time is so important.  Just remember, he gets your total undivided attention.  No phone calls, no internet, no tv, nothing but him and you.  That's quality time.

Answer 14

How about you and he has a sleepover!

When my husband stays away my daughter loves sleeping with me!

You can order his favourite takeaway!

Watch his fav film, or play his fav game! Even if it is on the xbox! You may enjoy it!

Get your pyjamas on early and chill out watching tv, eating rubbish, and chatting!

Answer 15

What I wouldn't do is watch tv or a movie together.  That's basically just sitting next to each other but not really interacting.  If you really want special time, it should be something that gives a chance for conversation, not just physically being in the same room.

Obviously it depends on your son, but I'd take him out for dinner and then choose something active (from going swimming or bowling or something together to just playing catch in the back yard or chasing him through the sprinkler), or something like a board game that he likes, or working with him on a lego project (if he's in to that), etc.

Answer 16

You are already on the right course with your question "quality time". It's a little about "what" you do but more that he gets one on one with you since dad is away. Movie night with his fave movie and some popcorn. Board games, video games (it doesn't matter if you don't know how-LOL!), Miniature Golf, Dinner out just the two of you, Go to a bookstore (if he likes to read) like Borders and grab some coffee/cocoa together and pick out a new book - for the both of you :) So when he goes to bed you can also reap some of the downtime!