22/04/2026
Making Time For Children
Not only as an NLP practitioner, therapist, and coach, but also as a mum, I want to start with full disclosure: I am by no means perfect. I juggle, I stumble, I get it wrong. But I do attempt to practise what I preach, and what I have learned along the way is that even small, consistent moments with our children and young people can make a profound difference.
Giving your time to the young people in your life is incredibly important, both for them and for you. I know you are tired, stressed, and already stretched for time, so asking you to invest more of it might feel like a burden. But it is not wasted time, it is an investment. The returns, in terms of their emotional wellbeing, confidence, and your connection, far outweigh the costs.
Through my work with NLP4Kids in Telford, Shropshire, and my 1-2-1 sessions, I regularly see the consequences when parents do not invest consistent time with young people. Anxiety, low mood, behavioural issues, and a sense of disconnection often appear, and many of these can be mitigated simply by increasing meaningful engagement and presence. While I work with young people in educational settings occasionally, most of my work is in private sessions where I focus on coaching and therapeutic support.
So, the question many parents ask is: how do I invest more time when there is already so little?
The good news is that you do not need to magically create extra hours or sacrifice essentials. It is not about finding more time, it is about using the time you already have in a more conscious, connected way.
Practical Ways to Make Time Count
• Turn everyday tasks into shared experiences: Come home from work and instead of rushing to cook dinner alone, involve your children. Let them help with chopping, stirring, and setting the table. You are doing the same task, but now it becomes a shared activity. Mealtimes are another opportunity. Eating together encourages natural conversation. Cleaning up together after meals or tidying their rooms alongside them reinforces teamwork and presence.
• Homework as connection time: When your child needs to do homework, sit with them. You might check emails or sort admin simultaneously. The task itself does not have to be about quality parent-child time. It is the shared space and attention that matters.
• For professionals working with children: In classrooms or youth settings, resist the temptation to focus solely on your next task. Even if you are planning lessons or marking books, sit with them while they work. Your presence communicates care and attention and models focus and engagement.
Use NLP techniques for everyday moments
o Anchoring: Create small rituals that signal connection. For example, a handshake, a high-five, or a quick shared laugh can anchor feelings of safety and warmth in your interactions.
o Positive reframing: Turn “I have no time” into “I am making the most of the moments I have with them.” Reframing in this way reduces guilt and stress while enhancing your presence.
o Matching and mirroring: Subtly mirror their posture, tone, or gestures. This creates rapport and non-verbal connection, making them feel understood even when words are not flowing.
o Future pacing: After a shared activity, guide a brief reflection: “Remember how we worked together on that dinner tonight? Imagine how well you will do with your next big project, using the same focus.” This embeds confidence and a sense of achievement.
Why This Matters
The key is not in doing extraordinary things but in being present consistently. Engagement, even in the simplest ways, strengthens connection. Connection builds trust. Trust ensures your child or young person knows they can come to you when they need support, guidance, or just to be heard. Presence communicates care, value, and stability.
Even if you cannot carve out large chunks of dedicated time, the time you do spend can still be powerful. Be with them fully. Sit alongside them, involve them, notice them.
To make this even more practical, consider these questions:
• Can you remember a time when someone gave you their full attention and really listened to you? How did that make you feel?
• Think of a moment recently when you were fully present with your child or a young person. What impact did it have on them and on you?
• Are there everyday tasks where you could involve your child or young person and make it a shared experience? How could that change your connection?
• How would it feel to reframe the time you have with young people as an investment rather than an obligation?
In short, it is not about perfection or grand gestures. It is about showing up. Be their with them.
Make it count!
For more information on how Child Therapy Telford can help and support children and young people, visit Child Therapy Telford. https://childtherapytelford.nlp4kids.org
Book a FREE 🆓consultation with Child Therapy Telford. 👇
https://louisa-nlp4kids.youcanbook.me
The original version of this article was written by Gemma Bailey, director of www.NLP4Kids.org.
It was republished and rebuilt with additional content by Louisa Gauld-Crichton https://childtherapytelford.nlp4kids.org
Making Time For Children Not only as an NLP practitioner, therapist, and coach, but also as a mum, I want to start with full disclosure: I am by no means perfect. I juggle, I stumble, I get it wrong. But I do attempt to practise what I preach,[…]
