Some time without the siblings or dad, to visit, to play, to talk about your days…take a break from the daily craze and share a moment, one-on-one. Several mums have shared their favorite ways to enjoy these special moments, just the two of you…
“Breakfast, a sacred ritual,” Axelle, Mum to Charles, age 3 ½
I’ve had this special ritual with Charles since he was very little (and it’s made me dread the days when his school schedule might interrupt this time): we enjoy our breakfast together, just the two of us, every weekday and weekend morning. This ritual is so ingrained that if my husband offers to let me sleep in, Charles will wait until he can have breakfast with me. I love how calm these moments are – watching him enjoy his breakfast while I do the same. We can talk if we want to, but it’s not necessary, so long as we just take the time to be together and enjoy each other’s company.
During holidays at my in-laws’ house, this time is reserved for his grandfather, and for his grandmother at my parents’. I think it’s a great way to create a special relationship, a way to truly feel “alone in the world” with Charles.
“A Movie and a handful of M&Ms,” Justine, Mum to Augustine, age 5, and Louis, age 2
It’s not always easy to find time to share one-on-one, but I think it is essential for every child. A few weeks ago, Augustine and I saw our first movie just the two of us, and it was great. We indulged in handfuls of M&Ms and popcorn, and he spent half of the movie just sitting on my lap – it was a real bonding moment. We both left the cinema wanting to do it again.
“Evening stories,” Charlotte, Mum to Céleste, age 6, and Anna, age 2 ½
The only ritual that’s truly a regular in our home is sharing the stories of our day each evening. And with Céleste, who’s a bit older, I’ll even ask what she enjoyed the most and the least about her day. It’s our little moment, just the two of us, before bed…
“Some fun for the the two of us, while his little brother naps,” Caroline, mum to Victor, age 5, and Stanislas, 6 months
As the baby of the family, Stanislas requires more attention each day, so I try to find times when I can be 100% available for Victor. On Wednesday afternoons, when Stanislas is napping, I’ll take this time to play a board game or card game, or build a mountain of Legos, just with Victor. The goal is to give us some quality time, even if it is just for a little while. I try to be truly engaged in what we’re doing, instead of trying to focus on fifty other things at the same time (baths, meals, answering texts and emails, etc.). These are rare moments that we both really enjoy.
“Coffee & grenadine on Saturday mornings,” Mary, mum to Caesar, age 6, and Paul, age 4
Every Saturday morning, my elder son has swimming lessons. This is the perfect opportunity to spend some time one-on-one with Paul, my younger son. We sit in a cafe, not far from the swimming pool, and always order the same thing – coffee for me, grenadine for him. Paul will tell me about his week, all of his little stories… It’s time just for the two of us, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“Sunday waffles,” Hortense, mum to Bertille, age 2
Nearly every Sunday, we go to the market. I take Bertille with me, without her dad, and we’ll wander through the stalls together. She “helps me” with my shopping – choosing vegetables and flowers. And each time, we finish at the waffle stand, where we’ll share a waffle or two. Bertille is always so proud to have this time with mum, and loves to tell her father all about it when we get home.
