Share the everyday shared moments with your kids now they’re back at school with Cadbury - £265 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[PoppyMumsnet]

Now that your children are back at school, you might have a bit more time to yourself to enjoy. But, Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons would like to know what your plans to make sure that you still have everyday shared moments of joy with your children are, and how you plan on making the most of the time you have with your children during term time.

Do you make sure that you have dinner round the table together every evening to catch up with each other’s’ days? Maybe you have a scheduled family film night? Or are you planning fun days out together for the weekends? Whatever your plans, let Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons know by posting below.

All those who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £265 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks, and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Dinner all together

Bedtime stories with my daughter are so important. Having those minutes with the telly off and no other sound but us talking together about the book we are reading is the best part of my day. I really feel that it's not about the quantity of time you spend with your child that's important but the quality. When she goes to bed, she knows that I have listened to her about her day, enjoyed our story together and that she knows she is loved, safe and secure.

my dd and dsd are going to horse riding lessons together every sunday morning . We are all beginners together, they are so busy in upper sixth now i rarely see/talk to them during the week so this is a special activty we can do together and then laugh about afterwards

Talking about our day over dinner has always been a time to catch up as a family with no distractions.

Me and my teen DDs sit in the conservatory after school with a cup of tea or hot chocolate and cake, and talk about our day. What we did, who upset us, what made us laugh. The nicest thing is both girls say how much they enjoy this time, which is the most important thing to me.

Now it is getting nearer to winter we will sit in the living room. I'll put the heating on before they get home and we will snuggle under blankets together.

Teatimes together as a family most nights, and ( organised) activity free Friday nights- now the nights are drawing in we can get the board games out ( and I can win!).

We've now planned in 15-20 minutes special time with the older two once little one is in bed to do board games in the evening to have some bonding time - otherwise like is just too crazy with no time for each other. The kids are loving it and it has motivated them to behave nicely and help with jobs to make sure there is enough time for 'special time'

Bath time and bed time. We keep them sacred, reading books together and we always say the same thing every night to each other - goodnight mommy goodnight baby I love you see you tomorrow sweet dreams stay in bed (!) - she repeats after me, and will always get up if I don't say them all in the right order!

my son is obsessed with playing cards and learning new card games at the minute so we sit and play and chat about school and clubs at the same time. we seem to have our most intimate talks, where you hear what's really going on in his head, whilst putting him to bed and having a cuddle after reading.

starting to resent how much homework his new teacher is setting him as between sports clubs, travel, eating and bathing etc there isn't that much time and i don't want to spend the whole of it on homework.

We try to have dinner together as a family as often as possible - no phones / no TV.

Also do bedtime stories every night - and have done since they were about 3 months old!

As DC are getting older we are having more 'film & popcorn' time, especially if it is raining outside or we're feeling tired / under the weather.

My eldest has only just started school so we're just getting into a set routine. We always have tea together (he likes to help make it too and is gradually becoming more adventurous) and I like to set some time with him regularly to sit at the table to go through a sticker book together, read his Andy's Amazing Adventures magazine, make things with play dough or similar. He always has at least one story each night, as does his little brother, and it's usually* his dad that reads it so that they get quality time together.

• He works shifts so can't always do bedtime stories but 9 times out of 10 will do when he's at home.

My youngest just started in reception and the oldest went into juniors (age 4 and 7).

In the evenings I try and make sure I spend time with each of them doing their favourite things. So with the four year old that is playing with him with his duplo or his fire station. And with my 7 year old that is playing cards - I have a glass of something nice, she has a glass of water, and we share a bowl of crisps while we play crazy eights or go fish or beggar my neighbour.

I always find time to give my eldest a cuddle so he's not left out from seeing the toddler getting them all the time (as she's still breastfeeding). I tell him I love him more than something different and slightly ludicrous every day (I love you more than the moon, I love you more than bogies, I love you more than chocolate, I love you more than kittens, that sort of thing). I always ask him who's been naughty at school - it's the easiest way to find out what happened that day!

Reading before bed. Both DDs take it in turn to be teacher and read to us, we have to sit on the floor with 'listening ears on and mouths turned down.' It's my favourite time of day.

We sit down at the kitchen table with a drink and snack and I ask how school was and what they have done today. Then at bedtime I read a story just for that extra time with them

I love the walk to school as we chat about the day coming up and count the steps along the way. We spot squirrels and see if we can get to school without seeing any cars!

We have games nights, we love cards, monopoly and rummicub :)

A bedtime story every night is important as it helps to switch off her ticking brain as well as allowing us to have some quality time together.

I've got an adult scooter so that I can join my two on the scoot to and from school or for a quick scoot to the park after school. It's made the whole journey so much quicker giving us time to do other things and I've found it to be a very bonding experience.

I love seeing their little pieces of work that they've done

Bedtime stories are always a nice time to share

As a new Year 7, my ds is absolutely shattered, so we try and make sure we get a cosy cuddle at bedtime, just to debrief from the day, talk about the next day and to remind him how proud we are of him.

We also watch a 15/20 minute TED talk every day so that we can discuss interesting, non school related things. We've learned some pretty cool stuff this way!

Bath and bedtime story when we are relaxed and can chat without interruption.

Weekdays are homework first, then letting him chill however he chooses. Weekends are family time, often involving all snuggling up on the sofa together to watch a movie

The hunger in his belly when he gets in from school