Weekend ideas: 5 Ways to bond with your child

T.G.I.F!

What a week! It’s gone by in a flash- a whirlwind of social engagements, kids’ sports, homework projects… I’m always baffled by how much we jam into Monday through Friday in our household. And even though we do a lot of things “together” as a family – does commuting to and from basketball practice really count?  This Saturday and Sunday, I’m going to make an effort to spend some quality time with the kids. Here are five fun ideas for bonding with your child this weekend.

1. Take a walk  Walk up to the local coffee shop. Walk around the block. Take a hike. It doesn’t really matter where you go- just that you’re going and talking along the way.In fact, here’s a fun game you can play while you’re hit the pavement:

2. Fill in the blank  Tired of one word answers to our “how was your day?” questions, my husband and I recently started a game with the kids called, Fill in the Blank. We prompt them with the first few words and they have to tell us the rest.  Example: Today, it really frustrated me when _____. Today, I laughed when ______. It’s been a really fun way to find out about their lives.

3. Be thankful We’ve started family gratitude journals. On Sunday, we have a family meeting and discuss what we’ve written throughout our week.  It’s up to each person how much they want to reveal. It could be one thing or five things.

4. Play games Our family loves to play games–and they’re a great way to connect to the kids. But don’t just “play”, divide up into teams or add in certain fun rules to make it your own. And simply because I like to brag: Last weekend I dominated and am now the reigning Monopoly champion, thank you very much. Our games get very “spirited” as we’re all competitive. Now when we play Memory, er, I don’t usually win! (I blame baby brain!)

5. Read together. My stepdaughter and I are reading The Hunger Games together. We each downloaded it to our e-reader and every few chapters we stop and discuss. We call it our book club for two. When the movie comes out, we’re going to see it and decide which was better- the book or the flick? I have a feeling I already know the answer.

What are you doing this weekend?