Mom shares '9 minutes' that have the greatest impact on a child's bond with their parents

Parents usually feel that they need to be involved with everything their child does 24/7. Some of them also believe they need to be the best possible parent every single minute they spend with their child. However, a mom recently shared a theory about the most important nine minutes of a child's day and it is making a lot of sense to people on the internet. The woman, Sara Martinez, who goes by @iamsaramartinez on TikTok, shared the theory with people through a video.

As the video began, Martinez could be seen playing with her toddler and the text overlay of the video read, "I just read a theory that said: There are nine minutes that make the greatest impact on your child's day." The mom expressed that she simply couldn't stop thinking about the theory over and over again. "Those 9 minutes are: The three minutes after they wake up." The woman could be seen getting her toddler out of her crib. The next important three minutes are after the child comes back from school or daycare. She could be seen reading to her daughter in that clip. In the next clip, she was reading bedtime stories to her daughter and playing with her. The text overlay read, "The three minutes before they go to bed."

The mom captioned the video, "I always struggle with mom guilt and questioning if I was present enough. If this is true or not, I do find setting aside specific time to be present with my toddler (no phones out, etc) has made a positive impact." Martinez told Newsweek that she had discussed her mom guilt with other toddler moms. "It's a common thread among parents, from those who stay at home and juggle countless tasks to working parents who face their own unique challenges," she told the outlet. The mom turned to the internet and found several useful tips, out of which the 9-minute theory stuck out the most to her.

"It's about making those brief daily reunions with our children special and present," the woman expressed. Martinez also acknowledged that the same method might get diverse reactions from different people. "My hope is to convey that, despite these different circumstances, being intentional and present in the moments we share with our children can alleviate some of this guilt. It's about cherishing the reunions, whether they're after a long day of work or simply a short separation. These moments are opportunities to reinforce our bond, making each reunion special and memorable," she said. The video on TikTok received over 650k views and more than 45.9k likes.

People took to the comments section to express their opinions about the method. @roseleveron2 wrote, "This is why I don't scold, scream or nag at my kids when they wake up, before school, or before they go to bed." @gkarsten4 commented, "Really needed to hear the after-preschool part because I’ve fallen in the habit of trying to immediately make dinner. She just needs my attention after eight hours without me." @emiliatatara786 remarked, "As a full-time working mama, I NEEDED this. I carry so much guilt not being there for my babies around the clock." @tessteresita0 shared, "Yes!! This is something I have been struggling with too. I recently started planning my day and making sure I make specific time with them special. They grow up so fast."  

You can follow Sara Martinez (@iamsaramartinez) on TikTok for more family-related content.