Plan ‘dates’ with your kids
Written by Mandy Carter
Everyone wants to have a close relationship with your child, no matter their age. But like with any relationship, the strength of it can boil down to one thing: spending quality time with them. And what better way than to plan special “dates” with each of them.
“essentially a date is building a relationship.”
“Date” is an appropriate term, not just because it is February, but because of its true meaning. A date is dedicated time spent one-on-one trying to learn more about a person. It involves talking, asking questions, doing activities together….essentially a date is building a relationship.
So, why not have a mom or dad date with our kids?
It can be something as simple as a picnic at the park one afternoon and then a fancy dinner out at a new restaurant the next time. Mixing it up helps you learn more things about each other, provides new topics to talk about and allows you the opportunity to experience things together in a one on one setting. The key to a successful date with your kid is to dedicate this time to them alone and to make them feel special. The individual, planned time forces you to slow down and cherish your child.
Since this is often referred to as the month of “love,” it seems like the best time to start incorporating kid dates. Kids do not need elaborately planned dates each time, they just need you!
So here are ten dates I have had with my kids that were fun for us:
- Go out for breakfast before everyone else wakes up
- Coffee and shopping (perfect for teenagers)
- Dress up and go out to dinner somewhere new for both of you
- Go to see a movies and fill up on popcorn and candy
- Check out books from the library then go read them together at the park
- Play mini-golf and get ice cream afterward
- Get manicures then milkshakes
- Watch the sunset with sparkling grape juice and cheese
- Sign up for a DIY workshop (so far we have done pottery, painting and succulent potting)
- Learn how to do something new together
Maybe our fun experiences will ignite some ideas for you and your kids! My kids, won’t remember if the car was washed, if laundry was folded or if my paperwork was caught up, but they will remember a “date” with just mommy to have dinner when just the two of us were playing putput in the rain!
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