Yes! Now we’re cooking’
It’s Monday… again, back on the hamster wheel. Wasn’t it just Friday afternoon? What happened to those weekend plans to relax? Maybe go for a family bike ride? Or out for some food and a movie? And then, on late Sunday afternoon, you planned to tune into Spa Radio and fall asleep on the couch. But someone took your nap, didn’t they? ‘Cause you sure never got it. None of the rest of those plans materialized either.
And what the hell was going on this morning? Why were the kids so slow you had to threaten them with “Do you wanna walk to school?!” three times? On top of that, the international news is… scareee.
21st century. Not easy. You’ve got stress and so do your kids. So how about when you and the kids reconnect later today, you have some serious fun together?
First, when you lay eyes on them, make sure you avoid these joy-busters:
1. “How was school?”
2. “Did you remember to bring home your jacket?”
3. “Did you tell the teacher that you need to sit closer to the board?”
4. “Did you finish your lunch?”
5. “How did you do on your _____ test?”
6. “Did people like your _________?”
7. “Who did you play with at recess?”
8. “Do you have a lot of homework?”
Instead, cheerfully announce that homework will be delayed today (Fun first – Work later.)
Then try some of these together…
1. Take a neighborhood walk searching for “wildlife” (Yes, caterpillars count.)
2. Take photos of those critters and post them on FB with silly captions.
3. Find a shedding tree, then stomp on, kick, toss or roll around in its leaves.
4. Bring home some red, yellow, orange leaves and tape them to a window. (Instant stained-glass!)
5. Make popcorn. (For extra fun, try it without a lid. Go on, live a little.)
6. Tell each other something funny, surprising, or lucky that happened today.
7. Make/bake something for tonight’s dessert. (Leave some for tonight’s dessert.)
8. Read a story, then re-write the ending. Wacky is good!
9. Plan Halloween costumes. (Search for images or better yet, draw what you’re imagining.)
10. Make fun plans for next weekend. (And make them happen!)
__________
Love to hear some fun ways you reconnect with your kids after school.
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Annie – great post! I like your suggestions. My son has hearing loss and he comes home exhausted from school because of the extra effort he needs to hear in the classroom. We have a couple of different things we like to do after school, along with his older sister. We will bring out a game to play, bake cookies, or go to the neighborhood pool for a swim. Sometimes I will meet them at the bottom of the driveway after the bus drops them off and we will go to a mystery location – like a park, playground, local museum, or ice cream shop. I work from home, so right around the time the kids get here, I am itching to get out of the house and do something. I am all for getting homework done, but I think there needs to be that little break for everyone!
Comment by Krysty — September 9, 2014 @ 1:13 pm
Keysty, you get 25 Awesome Mom points! Can I come by some afternoon and go on a Mystery Adventure with you and your son? :))
Comment by Annie — September 9, 2014 @ 1:42 pm