QUALITY TIME + BIG FAMILIES

This post has been sponsored by Aveeno®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hey friends! Today, I am teaming up with Aveeno® to share with you a few tips on how I balance spending individual time with my little ones.  

Click here to Save up to $20 on participating Aveeno® products  


Growing up in a large family, I know what it’s like having to share your parent’s attention. I grew up with three brothers, and we all had different interests and were involved in different sports and activities. My parents took turns attending our events, and we had to learn how to practice patience with them and with each other.

I now have four kids of my own and have to squeeze in quality time with each one of them throughout my day. Here’s how:

• Find out what they like – We have four completely different little people at our home. They all have different learning abilities and love languages.  They express excitement and need my attention in different ways. I love getting to know my babies. Grace feels loved and cared for when we work on an activity together. She loves to garden, and we’ll finally get to do some gardening now that the weather is warmer. She’s also really into finding ways we can be better stewards of the earth we live in. I’m thinking this Earth Day is going to be a lot of fun because we’re finally getting our garden started! Emory wants to sit and play all day long, which usually consists of coloring or playing with blocks. I love finding out what they are into and making it a point to share in that interest with them.

• Get on their level – We spend so much of our day towering over our babies. When it’s one-on-one time, I like to meet them at eye level. I can sit on the floor, lay next to them or get on my knees to throw a ball with them. I think that getting on their level makes them feel important and validated.

• Make the most of bedtime – Bedtime is the perfect time for cuddles and story time. I like leaving Harrison for last because I can ensure that once the older kids are in bed, I can give him all of my attention. I give him a bubble bath and then a little massage using Aveeno® Baby Daily Care Lotion. This moisturizer is made with oats, it’s hypoallergenic, and it’s perfect for Harrison’s sensitive skin. I’ve used it with all of my babies, and it leaves Harrison’s skin that’s so soft—especially during these cooler days.

• Be flexible – Sometimes the day gets away from me and as much as I try to spend quality time with each baby, it just doesn’t happen. On those days, I ask for grace and try again the next day. Being a parent is tough, and sometimes things don’t go as planned. What’s important is that we do our very best. When it’s all said and done, I also like to take a couple of minutes and moisturize my own skin. These days, I stock up on Aveeno® Daily Moisturizing Lotion from Walmart. It has oatmeal, soy, and rich emollients, which leave my skin feeling soft, smooth and so healthy. I like to take a few minutes and just breathe. Sometimes, we give so much of ourselves to those around us that we forget to take a minute to reset. I love finding those little pockets of time to massage my hands and arms.

Before your next shopping trip to Walmart, be sure to look for an in-store Aveeno® Earth day event near you! Click to learn more.

Here’s to big families, to loving our children fiercely, and to products like Aveeno®that help us make quality time (and the Earth) that much better!

With love, Tere