Working hard to maintain a healthy relationship with your kids is worth every effort and energy you can expend. Your kids will grow up before you know it, and you don't want to spend their adult years regretting your mistakes. Here are five tips that can strengthen the parental-child bond:

Tip #1 - Focus on Quantity Time

Forget what you've heard about quality time verses quality time. The truth, as found out by parents when it was too late, is that your children need more of you. Spending as much time as possible with them is more important than shorter time spurts that you might call "quality time." You may need to make major changes in your household to accomplish this, but you'll increase your chances of maintaining a healthy relationship. For example, if you are always shuffling your kids to activities outside the home, and there's little time for you to spend with them, then consider limiting or eliminating those activities.

Tip #2 - Don't Overwork

Work-at-home moms are entrepreneurial, and running a business or working as a freelancer can be time-consuming. You can sit down for a meal with your kids and think about work the entire time. That's not going to lead to a healthy relationship with your kids. Learn how to limit your work schedule and how to "turn it off" in your mind when you're not working. Your kids pick up on whether you're really present with them or not.

Tip #3 - Institute Family Game Night

Purchase board games, puzzles, DVD games and other games that fit your family's personality. Plan to play them with the entire family once a week. If your kids are old enough, have them plan the night. You can encourage them to choose the games, as well as the snacks or deserts for that night. Doing this once a week allows all of you to relax and have fun together, and that will have a direct impact on your relationship.

Tip #4 - Plan Regular Family Outings

Like the family game night, regular family outings are a fun time to bond with your children. You don't have to break the bank on family outings. Find free events in your area, or free activities to do. For example, your kids may look forward to going to a park once a week. There might be a recreational hall, museum or other amusement activity that's free once a month for families. Keep a calendar of events, or bookmark websites that list events where you live.

Tip #5 - Talk to Your Kids

Your kids will know that you love them when you show interest in them. One way to show that is to talk to them. Sit with them on their bed, on the floor or at the table and talk with them. Ask lots of questions to get to know what they're thinking, and what's happening in their hearts. You'll build a healthy relationship with them in the early years, and the openness you develop will last through their teen and adults years.

It's not too late to learn from the mistakes you've made in the past. Start using these tips to create a healthy relationship with your kids.

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Daphne Mallory, Esq. is the co-owner of Mallory Writing Services and has written more than 100 articles helping home based business owners and entrepreneurs start and market their business. You can learn more about her here.