Taking our time when it comes to ‘time’ Positive Parenting '); With Christmas decorations all around the city and county weeks in advance, many of us parents get the same question day after day: “When is Santa coming? Is it tomorrow?” How do we help our children understand how much time is left until the coveted gifts arrive? “Time” is an abstract idea. We adults have learned to be comfortable with it, but children appreciate time a different way. Little ones understand time relative to their needs – dinner time, bath time, or bed time. As they grow, children start thinking about time in terms of right before (‘I put on my shoes before I go outside’) and right after (‘I brush my teeth after breakfast.’).