Friday, March 29, 2013

Adding a Little Fun to the Everyday

by Stephanie


While at my doctor’s office the other day, I picked up the March issue of Family Fun magazine to pass a little time. A tag from the front cover caught my eye, ”7 Secrets of Fun Families.”

As I flipped to page 80, I thought, “Fun…..hmmm……I’m the one that has a list a mile long of stuff I have to accomplish before any hint of fun can be had….grocery shopping, paying bills, laundry, picking up the house, making lunches, picking up the house….again. When do I even have time to think about fun?”

“The days are long, but the years are short....when raising a family,” began the article. Talk about cutting straight to my heart! Yes, my days are filled with tasks to accomplish that never seem to end, but in a few short weeks, my oldest child will be 9, and I know in another blink of an eye, he is going to be graduating from high school. And do I really want him to look back and think, “Wow, mom sure got the stuff on her list completed!”

I don’t think so.

The article went on to share simple and creative ways that different families add some fun to their daily routines and their everyday lives.

My favorite story was about a family who started a tradition once every summer. After the kids were in bed for about 20 minutes, mom would blare music through the house, wake everyone up, and they would all go out for ice cream in their pajamas. Because it was a tradition, the kids knew it would happen once during the summer, but never knew when it would come!

Another story shared how a family found a way to add a dose of silliness to the everyday by celebrating “odd holidays.” Holidays such as “National White Chocolate Day,” or “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” or “ Fairy Day,” gave the family an excuse to eat extra chocolate at lunch, dress up in silly costumes or have themed dinners.

It’s the celebration of little things that makes life fun. And I have resolved to add more fun to my life and the life of my family.

So tell me…..what fun family traditions do you have? What are some ways you make the everyday fun? I ‘d love to hear all about them!

And I hope you all have a little extra dose of fun today!


10 comments:

Sarah Huizenga said...

Ever since my daughter has been in preschool, before school started each year we would go to a nearby town, ride the trolley (like tourists) to take a tour of the city, we would have lunch and get ice cream. We still do that even though she is now in college.

Dotti said...

What a fabulous post, Stephanie, and so true. As an empty nester, I can tell you ... the days run together and the years pass too quickly. One of my favorite quotes is, "Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

Happy Easter!

Sherry said...

This is so true! I also have many lists & it is difficult to cast those aside (mentally & physically) and truly have some fun - and enjoy it.

terriporter said...

It's hard while raising a family to remember to add in some fun along with all the everyday things that need to get done, but so important! As you said, it's the fun things your kids are going to remember, not that you crossed off all the to-dos on your list. I asked my boys what fun things they remember and there were too many to list here -- many I had forgotten! They all said they loved when I brought their lunch out to them on the patio when they were swimming, so much more fun than being called in to eat! So happy to hear they thought I brought a little fun to the everyday.

Deanna said...

oh fun, to have all that fun. And yes, the days are long but the years are way too short. So have fun, have your kids remember the fun times when they reminisce about their childhood.

Carol said...

DO it Steph - We never just give the biggest Xmas or birthday present - we hide it, with poem clues all over the house. My father always did that, and my kids love it, as I always did!
Do it Steph, and everyone - leave the floors until tomorrow and have some fun!

Jeanne said...

Lovely and thought provoking post, one I hope that all parents will read

kelly said...

really beautiful post. and you are so right...it goes by in a flash. when it comes to my own daughter - who is getting ready to turn 20 (OMG) - the fun things she remembers me doing are the simplest. things like making faces on her pancakes with chocolate chips, playing board games, singing really loud in the car to the radio. ordinary stuff. but those are memories that are so special to me too.

hope you have a happy easter.

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