What a lovely day!

God is on His throne, the sun is shining, daffodils are blooming and the promise of spring has arrived.

 

It's one of those day you just want to get outdoors and do something -- like dig in the flower beds or take a walk or just let the sun shine on the top of your head and warm you all the way down to your toes.  After a bone-chilling winter, it's a great season to celebrate the goodness of God and watch the earth awaken from her winter rest.

Once upon a time (so many years ago), I would gather the kiddos and head outdoors for a bit of spring-time adventure.  Sometimes we poked new flower seeds in the ground.  Other times we hiked around the loop (Woods Point Drive in Catlettsburg, KY) or rode our bikes down the hill out front. It was more like a slope, but to our little ones, it probably seemed like a mountain.

If we aren't careful, our children can easily become jaded by being entertained...

 

... and when that happens, we parents will have a harder time finding something bigger, better or with more "bling" to catch their eye and keep their interest. We cheat our children if we don't unplug them from TVs, DVDs and iPads long enough to do that.  There is so much to see and do that isn't connected to an outlet or run by batteries -- and our children need to be comfortable with that.

As the weather warms, why not pitch a tent and camp out in the back yard?  This is not a slumber party for friends or cousins, this is time for you as a family to reconnect and have fun.  Take turns finding constellations and try to name them.  Point out the brightest stars.  Imagine walking on the moon.  Do a little scheming about your next family vacation.  Tell silly jokes.  Catch fireflies and roast wieners over a fire pit.

Listen to night sounds.  But most of all, listen to your children.

 

There's just something about being under a big sky at night that makes it a safe place to open up.  If your children hint at their hopes and dreams ... and if those dreams don't line up with your dreams for them ... just listen for now.  They may also share some fears and concerns, and not expect an answer, but the need to know you are there for them and care.  Keep it low key - don't overdo the comforting part and have all the answers.  Just listen.  It takes time away from routines and constant busy-ness to share heart-to-heart, and any time that happens, it's a time to treasure.

Other together times may involve day trips to fun museums and/or special events.  Check with your chamber of commerce to find out about events like musical or theater productions nearby.  Butterfly museums, aviaries and birdwatching all can attract children who are "unplugged."  When you focus on something outside your child's normal activities and interests, you give them a bigger view of the world.

Another idea:  make something together - like one of the fancy bird baths pictured below!  Not only will you have a lot of fun, you can enjoy watching the birds flock to it this summer.  Turn an old lamp stand into a cool bird bath by adding a ceiling light fixture or some type of large bowl you might not use anymore.  Sharing time is even better when you have something tangible to show for it.  Be sure to let your child share ideas for the project, too.  It doesn't have to turn out *perfect,* it just has to be a memorable time spent with a precious little person you happen to love!

 What a lovely day!  God is still on His throne and there's a big world out there waiting for you and your children to discover.  Together. 

 

 

Photo credit: Pinterest

Those drip-drop days ...

It's a cool, rainy day outside, which reminds me of those cold, rainy days which made outdoor play off-limits. The boys, especially, would ask,

"But what can we do?"

On days like that, camping out is a good option. Not outdoors, mind you, but inside where it's warm and dry. I'd pull out sheets or blankets and hang them over tables to make a tent for them. Sometimes they designed their own, and with their sister's help, pinned them to couches and chairs, expanding the layout.

Inside a home-made tent, imaginations don't bed down - they wake up! Give your little ones time to come up with their own ideas for the tent itself and what to do once inside it. If too much screen time has worn out their imagination station (the brain), help them come up with some fun ideas:

1. Story time! Read out loud to your little campers. If you crawl inside and spend a little time with them there, they'll think you're one cool parent! Read the original title "The Boxcar Children" to ignite the fires of imagination in your youngsters.

When I was a third grader, The Boxcar Children was my favorite book. I read it over and over that year, living out the lives of Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny. I read it aloud to our children who loved it, too. Every parent ought to read it at least once - aloud - chapter by chapter, stopping now and then so their children beg for more.

When you read aloud to your children, you are training them to be "active listeners." This means their minds are forced to picture the story. I don't know about the newer editions, but the original Boxcar Children book didn't have pictures on every page - and when it did have one, it was a black silhouette. We do our children a disservice by supplying too many visuals. When there are no pictures available, children envision their own characters - and perhaps imagine themselves playing the roles. This is creative learning.

2. Serve lunch inside the tent. Preheated hot-dogs can be put on a chopstick and "cooked" over a red construction paper-made fire. (Have your artist prepare the fire while you heat the hot-dogs on the stove.) Serve s'mores for dessert!

3. Build with Legos. If your child doesn't have any, I recommend some basic Lego blocks. There's a lot of hands-on learning in building your own fort, house, etc. Our boys, when they were 8 and 11, built their own chess board and chess men out of Legos.

4. Make up silly stories or songs about rain. Get things started by giving your children a first sentence: "Once upon a time, it rained so hard, all the rabbit holes were full of water. When Jack looked outside, he saw fourteen rabbits sitting on the family deck...." Let your kids take it from there. If they can't, prompt them with "Wouldn't it be fun if the rabbits started talking to Jack?"

You'll probably come up with a lot more ideas for those drip-drop days. The secret is doing it on sunny days so you've got supplies and ideas ready when it rains. Don't dread the drip-drop days. Enjoy them - and make life-long memories with your children.