Jul. 17, 2007 - Fleeting Youth
Fleeting Youth
Summer is now half gone. Are you having a good one? What has been your family’s priority for the last six weeks? Do you need to make any changes for the next six?
In my home, with the temperatures rising outside, I have noticed a recent tendency in the children to choose television and video games for lack of better indoor inspiration. Time for Major Mom action. I called a family meeting and told them it was time to box up the video games, turn off the TV, and spend the rest of the summer finding completely different activities. My kids know me by now, and they already can’t believe they’ve gotten to have any video games this summer, so they didn’t take it too hard. Flash back to the first time I did this some years ago, though, and I was immensely unpopular for a time. I also told them that TV would only be used for weather and news and the occasional family movie.
As always, they look at me blankly and wonder aloud what is there to do. This is a true sign that I should have done it sooner. My dear hubby is the one that always eventually gives the dreaded video games back to them, otherwise they would have never returned. But he doesn’t fight me when I put them away. I’m sure the children will have great stories to tell their kids about Mom and Dad and the video game skirmishes.
Sometimes I give the kids ideas of what to do, and sometimes I don’t. I am amazed at the little activities that are born from boredom, but it helps to have some ideas in the hole, so here are some of mine that are mostly free activities; tried, tested, and true.
- Library (free, except for the overdue book fines)
- Camping outside in the yard. Don’t forget the s’mores.
- Indoor blanket-tent building.
- Visit elderly relatives and bring cards, crafts, and music.
- Bake Grandpa a cake.
- Catch fireflies at night and butterflies by day.
- Mending (little hands can learn on little projects).
- Picking green beans (I pay a penny a bean to keep them picked).
- Go on a river walk with the dogs. My kids make a mudslide on the bank.
- Read everyday. Books to read on their own and one for you to read aloud.
- Help out with home repair and home decorating projects.
- Write in a journal.
- Remember the kids’ devotionals and the family devotional at dinner-time.
- Take them swimming somewhere new.
- Paint new birdhouses for next spring.
- Build a fort.
- Make dinner for the family.
- Learn a new special recipe.
- Start a scrapbook.
- Build a K’nex roller coaster (or another kit you have).
- Learn to play chess.
- Paint a picture.
- Take up sketching.
- Play squish ball. A game my husband invented. It’s just like baseball but you use a squishy ball instead. It fits in the yard and you don’t need a glove.
- Lie on the trampoline at night and watch the night sky.
Most importantly, spend time with your children. They are a precious gift from God. I can remember so well when my eldest, now twenty, absolutely loved peek-a-boo. It doesn’t seem very long ago at all. This week he moves into his first off-campus apartment to continue his college this fall. In fact, my eighteen year old moves off to his first dorm room in only one more month. I thank God for the wonderful young men that my beloved sons have grown into. And I thank God for the four more beautiful children that I can still enjoy while they are in their fleeting youth.
© Sallie H., 2007. All rights reserved.
Comments
Jul. 17, 2007 - Loved this entry
Posted by thosecrazyandersons
Hi! Just visited your blog and had to laugh because we're going through the same thing here. I finally told them if they couldn't find anything better to do, it was time for school. LOL.
