As an adult, we all enjoy our alone time. Kids are different and might not understand how beneficial alone time can be. As adults, understanding that alone time can be beneficial and helpful to your child is the first step in carving this into their routine. This is a necessary and important part of their schedule and everyday routine!
For alone time to be a positive and beneficial to your child’s day, you need to do everything you can to ensure they don’t think that you are punishing them. This can happen when you put them by themselves and don’t educate them and talk with them. For more information on how to introduce alone time into your child’s life, continue reading below. The material provided goes into detail on how to teach children to spend time with themselves. Trust me, you won’t be the only one looking forward to their alone time after this!
Don’t Put Alone Time After Negative or Bad Behavior
While you might want your alone time after your child has a temper tantrum or a bad attitude, that isn’t the best way to go about introducing alone time into their schedule. It will only allow for them to associate their bad behavior with the alone time if it directly follows.
Instead, if you notice that your child is irritable or could benefit from alone time, introduce it to them before their bad behavior begins. This will allow them time to collect themselves, improve their attitude, and spend some time alone—but not be angry or upset about having to do it because it is a punishment.
Talk To Them About It
Be open and honest. Kids are so receptive and if you share with them what alone time is and why they will like it, they are going to listen. If you aren’t genuine and just tell them that alone time is necessary, they are going to see that. Explain the benefits of it and share with them what you do to relax when spending time alone. Having open and honest conversations with your kid is always the best way to go.
Allow Them an Alone Time Area They Like
You don’t want to force them into alone time. Obviously, you are going to suggest it and make it happen—but allow them to be comfortable and do it where they want. If they love their bedroom, keep them in their bedroom. If they love to be outside, but you are trying to get something done, throw the portable baby playpen up and allow for them to safely be outdoors. There are numerous options where your child can have safe and enjoyable time alone. This will allow for them to look forward to it in their everyday routine.
Alone Time Shouldn’t Come with a Screen
While you want your child to be able to do what they want during their alone time, this should not include any sort of screen time or piece of technology. This will take away from the benefits that alone time brings. It might be the easiest way to give them successful alone time, but don’t take the easy way out. Find other activities they can do on their own instead of playing on the tablet or watching TV.
Tell Them That You Will Play with Them After
By promising to do something with them after alone time, this helps with the negative thoughts that could come with alone time. It not only will give them something to look forward to, but it is going to show them that you aren’t punishing them or that you don’t want to see them. Instead, it will allow for them to see that you do want to be with them, and that alone time isn’t a bad thing.
And obviously, make sure to follow through on your promise of making plans with them. The worst thing that you can do is make a promise and not follow through. Obviously, life happens and those are the hard conversations that you must have with your kid when you tell them a plan has been cancelled. But don’t make disappointing them and bailing on your promises a regular thing! Kids are smart and catch on quickly.
Don’t Interrupt Solo-Play
If your child is already taking part in alone time and playing by themselves, don’t interrupt it just because it isn’t the designated time that you had in mind. Go with the flow! Take advantage that your kid is ahead of the curve and is enjoying alone time without you forcing it into their schedule. If they are playing on their own, most likely they like time to themselves and are enjoying whatever it is that they are doing. Interrupting that may ruin the moment, so do your best not to! Things happen and at times you might have to be somewhere at a specific time or what not, which is understandable. But the less it happens, the better.
Think about how your alone time has bettered your days and attitude and how it has provided you with time to reflect and use your imagination. Reflect on how you have used the time to relax when you are tired or how you have used it to grow and develop your new great idea. All of these are different elements that you want your child to experience, so introducing alone time is a must! If you follow these ideas provided above on how to teach children to spend time with themselves, hopefully their time alone will be as beneficial as yours.
And if you are looking for ways to implement this to your younger child and don’t have a playpen that is easily portable and moveable from location to location, we can help you! Here at The California Beach Co., we have endless opportunities for whatever you are looking for. Check out our website today to get an idea of our inventory and what we have that will work best for you.
