tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post7485860733210776325..comments2023-04-15T19:23:22.472+10:00Comments on the mommyhood memos: quality time or quantity time - which is more important?Adriel Bookerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128519182850037060noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-7709935285069789942010-11-15T06:30:14.195+10:002010-11-15T06:30:14.195+10:00Yes, quality and quantity! It can be tricky to get...Yes, quality and quantity! It can be tricky to get the balance right, and I agree with Tamara regarding the technology being such a distraction. I'm guilty of it from time to time. It takes a conscious effort to truly give quality time. Thanks for the reminder!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14222856619886484288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-39317087168634726222010-11-12T15:06:51.143+10:002010-11-12T15:06:51.143+10:00I do think they need both too. And, like you said,...I do think they need both too. And, like you said, if time is short, make quantity the key. Sometimes it's hard to find that balance. Sometimes I'll be home with the kids all day then realize, have I really played with them today? I have to remind myself about quantity too.mdforkidshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468887103710530554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-91012237353739933092010-11-12T10:27:09.290+10:002010-11-12T10:27:09.290+10:00My biggest gripe...parents being "around"...My biggest gripe...parents being "around" their children, but preoccupied with far too much technology. Texting, downloading, Facebook'ing etc... while kids are wanting to chat with their parents or wanting to be cheered on at their sporting event. I am seeing it more and more and it really bugs me. LOVED your article of course...again! :)Tamara Hutchisonhttp://www.billandtamara.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-41972864405735025882010-11-12T04:50:25.623+10:002010-11-12T04:50:25.623+10:00I completely agree with you. Quality and quantity...I completely agree with you. Quality and quantity. One is not enough. The "quality" idea came from a society trying to make itself feel better about ignoring the needs of their children, and soothing a conscience. I have older children, so it's a little different from you, but we go to church every week together~all three hours~we eat dinner together, we sit by the fireplace and eat candy and talk, we read scriptures and pray together every night, we serve grandparents together, we have "Mother/child" and "Daddy/child" dates, etc. My greatest joy comes not from publishing newspaper articles, or my latest public speaking engagement, but from my spouse, posterity and my relationship with them.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690873703374171148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-20739448753415347882010-11-12T02:27:58.703+10:002010-11-12T02:27:58.703+10:00Hi! Just happened onto your blog and love what I h...Hi! Just happened onto your blog and love what I have read so far. Looking forward to getting know you a little more.<br /><br />In a new stage of parenting and still figuring out the whole balance thing....all over again.<br /><br />Hope you can stop by and check out my blog.<br />keepitcomplicated.me<br /><br />AmandaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-16869667196279006032010-11-11T21:13:55.654+10:002010-11-11T21:13:55.654+10:00Oh, I agree with you it is a mixture of both quali...Oh, I agree with you it is a mixture of both quality and quanity, but wow, what a balancing act it takes to make it happen!<br /><br />It doesn't matter how busy we get, I try to always eat together as a family, read stories before bed, snuggle as we do homework on the couch, and watch the Wiggles (yuck, yuck, yuck!) together on Saturday mornings.Amy Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03571083038560430815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-24584190987484524032010-11-11T13:11:27.966+10:002010-11-11T13:11:27.966+10:00I agree- I try to squeeze in 5 or 10 minutes of pl...I agree- I try to squeeze in 5 or 10 minutes of play time every hour (aside from one good hour long chunk of play time after lunch). An hour of being ignored is like an eternity to a little toddler. They just want (and need) a little interaction every so often. Even a song or a short story will do the trick. It's really tricky if you work from home, but spending that little bit of play time every hour will probably end up saving you time in the long run, because you won't have a cranky toddler :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03762446316749653121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-60273503604825125912010-11-11T11:59:21.135+10:002010-11-11T11:59:21.135+10:00Motherhood is a balancing act. I think quality ti...Motherhood is a balancing act. I think quality time can happen anywhere, even while doing errands. It's just how you use the time you have. Georgia and I have quality time together at the grocery store. Yes, I'm doing my chores, but I'm asking Georgia what color the eggplant is, or to smell the lemon and help me put it in the bag. I'm asking her if she wants goldfish or Cheez-its, and she's telling me all about everything she's looking at. At the post office, she's helping me pick out stamps and helping me hold the letters to mail.<br />Don't get me wrong, we also do art projects, bake together, and read stacks of books. But the time when we're "having quantity time" can still be quality time too.cooperl788https://www.blogger.com/profile/08903541298189613642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-1792005557077031632010-11-11T03:11:35.623+10:002010-11-11T03:11:35.623+10:00It's a juggling act for both Working Mommies a...It's a juggling act for both Working Mommies and Stay-At-Home Mommies, and like Jhen said (and I am kicking my butt here too) getting off the computer and truly *being* with my boys. Even if I am nursing Phinneas, I can still read with Isaac or let him curl up next to the non-nursing side and watch a flick with him. Or when Phinneas is getting tummy time, I can get down there too with Isaac and his animal toys and be pulled into his imagination. It's easy to go on auto-pilot...do laundry...do dishes...clean...do computer stuff...and not even realize how fast daylight is passing!<br /><br />For now, these babes are our lives...when they go to school, we can use those hours to catch up...boy I am so guilty of this!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18382081217348597368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-54332577503138966942010-11-11T01:27:45.926+10:002010-11-11T01:27:45.926+10:00SPOT ON! Kids need both, and sadly, I think our o...SPOT ON! Kids need both, and sadly, I think our own selfish motives in life give us excuses. I think working moms can still have the quality/ quantity time for sure, but there has to be sacrifices in their own life to get it. And with SAHM, getting off the computer (dang, I kicked my own butt here) and sometimes letting the house chores go can provided that quality/quantity time. <br /><br />There are way too many children suffering deep within from lack of quality/quantity time. Loving in our hearts isn't enough...<br /><br />Great post Adriel! I agree 100%Jhen.Starkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12731079023004004203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-46197857072983858862010-11-11T00:52:00.096+10:002010-11-11T00:52:00.096+10:00I struggle with quantity because of the amount of ...I struggle with quantity because of the amount of time I see my babe in the evenings. But I do agree with you. It does need to be quality and quantity mixed. She needs to know that I am there for her - a present character in her life and she won't know that if I'm never around. But the relationship can only develop and she can only learn (both knowledge and emotion) by having that quality connection.Unpolished Parentinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05908084719146729086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086626171561679956.post-46122139512889434862010-11-11T00:11:21.864+10:002010-11-11T00:11:21.864+10:00It's a matter of finding both or a happy mediu...It's a matter of finding both or a happy medium for your family and situation. Being a working mom, I find that the time I spend with my family may not be in an abundance of "quantity" so for me, "quality" is key. It's hard to say one is soley better than the other because every family is different. I think what is important is when you are with the kids, to be in the now and present with them, not thinking about work or the to-do list. It takes practice!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com