Top 5 things the kids need

It's the weekend yay! What I have decided to do this weekend and see if I can carry it on going forward, is make a short list of stuff that I have found beneficial in some way when struggling or things I have learned.

So lets get right into it.  This week I will be doing the top 5 things that my kids need in terms of making them happy and content at home.

5) Rules: Everyone needs rules.  It may seem a little strange to start off the list with something which means that you have the need to discipline your kids but without rules they don't learn what is right and what is wrong.  I will admit to having been lax on occasion with the household rules and thats when the tantrums start and a child having a tantrum is not a happy child.  Discuss the rules with the kids, let them give you their opinion, have a little flexibility when you set them and listen to what they say and they are more likely to stick to them.

4) Fun: A boring Dad makes an unhappy child.  Having fun with the kids builds the bond between you, it may just be a tickle, dancing like a monkey in the kitchen, or building lego or playing computer games together.  I challenge any parent who is feeling down to play with their kids, its better than any anti-depressant drugs on the planet, a child's genuine laughter can brighten anyones day not least the child's.

3) Attention: Everyone needs attention, not just the kids, but making sure you find time for them no matter what you have on your plate makes for happier children.  With my kids I get one to one time with my daughter every afternoon while her brother is still in school, and then I get one to one time with my son every evening after his sister goes to bed.  This time is led by them, we can play together, read together, whatever they chose.

2) Routine: Keeping up a routine for the children means that they know what is coming, when it is coming and what they are doing.  The routine doesn't include behavioural management, but things like breakfast at the table as a family, going to school, which days you take them swimming, what time bed time is all come under this heading.  You can be flexible with some parts of the routine as a reward if you like, letting them stay up an extra half an hour on a Friday night because they have had a good week at school doesn't cost anything!

1) Consistency: I have a feeling, especially with my kids that this should always top the list.  Having consistent parenting, either just on your own or combined with the absent parent if they are also involved, means that the kids feel settled, they know where the boundaries are, and the more uncertainty you can remove from their life by having these boundaries the better for them.

Obviously there are plenty other things that help keep the children happy, do you agree with me in my list? What do you think is different? Comment below with your top 5.