Our youngest son will be one-year-old next week. I marvel at how much he's progressed in a year. I can already get a “glimpse” of his personality: funny, charming, and determined. Life sometimes seems to go by so fast, that I often sit back and cherish the moments of yesterday. I treasure watching our oldest son play with his transformers and monster trucks, and our youngest covering his eyes in a game of peek-a-boo. I'm reminded of my childhood, and the importance of creating quality time with our children.

1. Read a Book - Children love books! Reading a book helps expand their vocabulary, and takes them to another world. It’s a place of fantasy where they can dream and imagine. This is also an excellent time to bond. My mom constantly sends books to our children, building them a wonderful library to explore. Each night we read several books to our sons. At times, it's the same book over and over again.

2. Travel - We like to take adventure trips with our children. Whether it's hoping in the car, or riding Marta (train), getting out and exploring what the city and countryside have to offer, is such a joy and eye-opening experience for our children. Traveling is educational, and allows us to teach them how to interact with others.

3. Cultural Events – Exposing our sons to various cultures is beneficial. Attending cultural fairs and events makes learning about other ethnic groups so much fun. This will help eliminate stereotyping and promote inclusiveness.

4. Meal Time - The dining room table was once used primarily for folding clothes. Now, we like to sit at the table each evening and talk about the day's activities. Learning table manners are an important part to proper social etiquette.

5. Dance – We are a family that loves to sing and dance. Wednesday is dance night. We turn up the jams and get down! Our boys love to move and groove. As a result, our oldest son has already shown greater maneuverability and coordination when playing sports.

Create quality time with your children, and always cherish the special moments.

Published BlackCelebkids.com