Staying connected with your kids during busy weeks

Written by the Progyny Editorial Team — September 2025. 

For many working parents, it’s a challenge to find time to really connect with your kids. With work, daily responsibilities, and the kids’ own busy schedules, it can be hard to spend quality time together.

Let’s go over a few ideas for staying connected, even during the busiest weeks.

Create mini rituals that matter

Having shared rituals with your child can bring you together, even if they’re simple or quick ones. According to behavioral scientist Michael Norton in his book “The Ritual Effect,” rituals are small, repeated actions that carry emotional meaning.

Ideas of rituals that can help you feel close:

• Create a special handshake to use before school drop-off.
• Use a morning mantra like: “You’ve got this, and I love you.”
• Listen to a shared playlist during time together in the car.
• Share your day’s highs and lows during dinner or before bed.
• Read a bedtime story at night (you can use a video call when you need to!).

Are there any rituals you already do that you can continue? Or be more intentional about? Take a moment to jot them down.

Use tech thoughtfully

Technology can help you stay close when you’re apart. Hearing your voice or getting messages from you can help your child feel safe.

A few ways to stay connected using technology:

• Send a quick video message for your child to see after school.
• Share a digital photo album to swap pictures.
• Keep a parent-child chat thread of inside jokes and emojis.
• Give your child a call on your commute home.

Just be sure to use technology with care! Especially if you are trying to help your child with a healthy balance of screen time and safe technology use.

Protect holiday and weekend time

Make the most of your holiday time and days off together. But don’t stress! This doesn’t mean you have to plan something expensive or elaborate. Even an hour of undistracted time can go a long way. Try to put your phone away during your time together. It’ll set a great example for your child, too.

Just like daily rituals, your weekends can have regular, shared moments. Think Saturday morning pancakes or Sunday night boardgames. They’re easy to do and mean a lot.

Ask open-ended questions

Connecting over conversation means opening up emotionally and asking deeper questions. Ask open-ended questions that go beyond “How was your day?”

You can try:

• “What made you smile today?”
• “Was there a moment you felt really proud?”
• “If you could freeze time today, what moment would you pick?”

Give your own answers, too! When your child sees your vulnerable side, it can help them feel more connected with you.

Find what works for you

Think about how you can use these tips in your own life and choose one to start or continue this week. Your Progyny Care Advocate is here if you’d like to talk through more ideas for connecting, even during the busiest times.

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