Time Well Spent
Planning time well will benefit all–
You set the pace for the rest of your child’s life by what you teach them with your actions.
You also have a positive influence and bond together when you plan family activities. These opportunities form lasting memories that no amount of money could buy. Simple things like walking together on a regular basis allows for comfortable talking time where parent and child both benefit.
If your child is young and shows an interest in a particular sport, your family fun time can focus on the development of skills required for the sport. Everyone thinks of baseball with father and son throwing the ball in the back yard, but there are other sports and other skills. For those that love soccer, learning ball manipulation with the feet provides a face-to-face time when parent and child practice skills but also interact while doing it.
Bicycling together gives the parent an opportunity to teach the child not only bicycle safety, but also a lifelong form of exercise. When biking with children it’s wise to map out the route ahead of time. Most American cities don’t have many bike paths in the city, so a bike rack and a trip to the park is the safest method for a fun family bike trip. The park offers opportunities to study nature as you ride. Make it a point to have a book on native plants and develop the child’s curiosity for nature when you take a rest break from riding. Make sure each bicycle is equipped with a holder for a water bottle if you ride during hot weather.
Walking and running are important in every sport and provide a healthy outlet for years to come. Parents need to learn proper warm up exercises and do them with the children before embarking on a run or walk of any distance. Great opportunities occur when walking or running. Bird watching or stone collecting can occur simultaneously as you walk. Try changing paces at various intervals and throw in a few fun movements. Walk for two minutes, trot for two, run for two and then create a goofy walk such as lifting the knees high and touching the alternate elbow to them. These work other muscles and not only keep the walk interesting but a lot of fun. It does take quite a bit of confidence to do this in public.
Swim together. Whether you go to the beach or the pool, nothing is more invigorating than a swim and no exercise keeps you in better shape. If you don’t know how to swim, then take lessons with your children. While many parents feel this makes them look weaker, it does just the opposite. It shows the child that no matter what your age, you can learn new things and be an adventurer.
Pack the lunch together. If you ride for long distances or in the park, go to the beach or just walk down to the park, a packed lunch is a special treat. It makes the adventure more; it becomes a destination and a picnic as well as a fun activity. Plan the packed lunch together. Make sure you have a balanced meal with extra fruit and vegetables. You can maximize this by planning the meal and then taking the child on a shopping expedition to get the items. A simple walk to the park with a sack lunch can provide several different activities for family bonding.
You’ll never have an opportunity to spend fun time with your child at this age, for they grow up and change with each year. Plan at least one simple activity each week and make it a special time to bond and create memories.
Posted: November 20th, 2008 under Fun Stuff.
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