4 ways working moms can spend quality time with kids

There are some good, stress-free ways working moms can spend quality time with their kids, have fun and become closer. Check out this list of ideas to enjoy more time with your kids.

Although your work weeks might revolve around time spent at the office and evening meetings, reserve both weekend days for family time. Plan fun excursions to local attractions, or stay at home and have family meals or play games. When weekends are a designated family time, children will know and expect that they'll have quality times with mom even if the weekdays are busy.

It might not sound like fun at first, but making housework a game can be a great way to multi-task and accomplish household tasks quickly, freeing more time for the activities your family enjoys. Have a race to see who can fold their laundry the fastest, hold a relay race while you put away dishes (carefully), or come up with fun dinner recipes to cook together.

You probably have a certain amount of vacation time built into your work schedule. Use days off during holidays or vacation days for trips with your kids. Choose a fun destination; escape to a southern resort or another relaxing location; or take a fun camping trip to a scenic spot nearby. Knowing that they'll have extended periods of time with their mom during vacation times will give kids something to look forward to and bring families closer together.

If you have little free time, you can still find ways to bond with your kids by taking small breaks throughout the day. If you work at home on weekends, take a half-hour break every three hours and have a snack with the kids, go for a walk, or watch a short television show or movie. When you're at work, take a break every few hours and connect with your kids with a phone call, Skype session or video chat. Taking small breaks to reconnect throughout a busy workday is fun for kids and helps busy moms feel energized.