(Photo creds: Unsplash.com)
(Another 2016 revamped post for you, my friends. I’m enjoying my time overseas. If you didn’t know, you can follow along on the visual fun on my Instagram.)
I try not to forget some of the best parenting advice I was ever given at our family summer camp in Pine Cove, but I always seemed to get “sucked” into our daily routines. (As you know, these turn into the story of our lives.)
So, what was the advice? SIMPLE: CREATE FUN!
Stop the daily routine, the stress, SURPRISE everyone (including yourself) and find the time for FUN. Their simple question was this: “When is the last time you jumped on the bed with your family?” Good question. Not sure I had since they were toddlers. We did it when we got home that summer, and I’m not sure they would remember. More than likely because it was a “one-and-done” activity and frankly that is not acceptable.
Now, don’t get me wrong, we have always had a lot of fun but I honestly don’t think I did enough to create fun “along the way.” For those of you with younger kids, I wish I would have made a calendar notification to do just this… I think it’s worth it. Kids remember these moments.
The fourth quarter is always one of the busiest and the most stressful. New school year, year-end push to achieve goals at work, the holidays, and oh good god, the comfort food that sends us to the gym to ward off the weight gain. All of that can catch up, so call a time out this weekend, or better yet tonight. Turn up the music and create some fun!
I’d love to hear how it went!