Today is a simple Wednesday. Yet there is something my kids are really looking forward to and it isn’t costing us a penny. 

Special family bonds are not created by big luxurious cruise vacations or buying your child a new toy, bicycle or fashionable outfit. 

Great families are formed by making time for each other, and by listening and caring. The good news is it costs absolutely nothing to do these things. That’s nice to know in an age when everyone is connected to digital devices, and hardly has time to look up from the breakfast table.

Last weekend my kids and I were sitting outside the front steps of our house enjoying some sunshine after washing the car and playing with the neighbour’s kids. As we sat there I had an idea that I thought would be fun.

“Anne – usually on Wednesday you come home from school for lunch. What about having a picnic in the park instead?”

Both Anne and Liz literally lit up and smiled.  “Yeah, Daddy! Then we’d even have more time to play in the school yard after!”

So that’s our little plan today for a simple Wednesday. I hope it will become one more of a huge collection of special family moments. Moments where we make time for each other and do something special together. 

A picnic in the park is something that works for us. My kids go to school close to the house and I work from a home office. I’m not saying that you should do exactly the same thing. It might not fit into your family situation. But something WILL fit, and it’s up to you to find out what those things are and do them. 

Then keep doing them. Find special things that you can do with your kids. Go out of your way to look for things that DON’T cost any money. Those things are probably more special! 

Make it a habit. You’ll love the results. When your kids are older they won’t remember the iPad you bought them, or the 22nd stuffed animal for their collection. They WILL remember the time you spent with them. 

Enjoy your children, (Click to tweet this message)
Chris Thompson
Talking to Toddlers: Dealing with the Terrible Twos and Beyond

For further reading, you might want to check out Using Distraction to Change the Focus of Behavior in Children and Successful Parenting.

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