The most valuable gift you can give to your child is your time. However, there is just a very limited time window in their life you can give this gift. Once that time is gone – it doesn’t come back. It is gone forever.
Following chart shows the recommended time spent with the kids at different activities at different ages.
As you can see the interaction drop when they become teen age and another big drop when the kids get their driving license.
As kids becomes adults the interaction is limited almost to just the conversation at the dinner table and some other small interactions.
From age under 3, your interactions will be mainly to take care of kid and keep him/her safe.
The critical quality interaction with the kid is between age 4 to 13. This is the time to teach him/her anything you want to teach whether it is moral, cultural, social, leadership, religious traits.
Many times I have seen that the Dad is busy when the kids are young. Suddenly, when the kids are teen age, they realize that they do not listen to him anymore. Well Dad, it is too late. You missed the boat.
