Back in the 1990's, we heard a much about spending "quality time" with our children. Of course, this quality time is a good thing, but it is no substitute for "quantity time." Many parents used the myth of "quality time" to justify neglecting their children so they could spend more time at work to make more money or spending time away from their children for recreation or other selfish interests. They would give their children 10 or 15 minutes of undivided attention and delude themselves into thinking that is all the parenting their children needed.
Parents need to spend quantity time with their children as well as quality time. A recent study indicates that children who spend a significant amount of time in daycare are more anti-social than those who spend more time at home with a parent. You can read more about it in this article .
Why is this the case? The answer lies in the fact that parents are role models for their children. Children learn how to relate to other people by observing their parents. In other words, they learn how adults are suppose to act by watching us especially when we don't realize they are watching! They see how we react to the various situations of life. We don't realize they are watching, but they learn at these times. Actually, they may learn more during the non-quality moments of life. Mom, Dad, your children need your time and plenty of it!
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