Raising kids is takes a great deal of juggling and prioritizing. Busy schedules, sibling conflict, varying interests and pursuits, school, and so much more are part of an everyday challenge. Then there is keeping marriage strong, dealing with exhaustion, and just being a good example to our children. It's no wonder then, that we do not truly appreciate our own parents until we become parents ourselves. I know this was true for me!

None of us can add additional hours to our day or wave a magic wand to make things runs smoothly. We can do something we as parents already naturally have learned to do and that is manage and make the most of our time. You take what you have, and improve the quality when quantity is hard to come by. Making a lasting impression on our children for the day makes their lives and our own much richer and leads to a closer bond between parents and their kids.

The key is to be creative. Look for times when you already know you'll be with your family, when you're "stuck" with each other so to speak. A great time for this is in trips in the car. If your kids are little, singing songs and playing games are perfect. I do this with my son, and he just adores it. I think of it as our special song time and an opportunity to learn. He's 19 months and I can honestly say most of the songs he knows he learned while driving. With older kids, it can be a great time to communicate. This is a good time for light chat, a time to enjoy each other's company since you don't want to get into anything too deep when you're about ready to drop them off or run to the store. Just taking time to focus on your kids, even when simply running mundane errands, you send the message to them that they are special.

Make sharing meals as a family priority. This end of the day ritual is perfect for bringing every member together and creating a closer bond as a unit. Even better, if your kids are old enough to help in preparing dinner the entire experience will be a chance to learn, gain confidence, and have fun together.

Exercise! Exercise is something that is so important to each member of the family, why not use that time as an opportunity to for you to blow off stress and let the kids burn that excess energy they have we envy so much. You can go to the gym, play sports at the park, or just play around outside at home. Kids love physical activity and it will mean so much more if you get involved with them. Remember, it's something you all need, why not do it together?

The idea here is look over your weekly activities. Find what it is you are already doing, what you absolutely need to do, and make that happen in a positive way with your children. Kids may like to have lots of time with their parents, but they'll love you for making that time count.