How can you bring your family closer? Try a sampling of these special family days, dinner table traditions, and weekend rituals, from FamilyFun's new My Great Idea book.
BOSS FOR THE DAY
Try Giving Each Child a Turn to Run the Show
"Every month, my two kids and I sit down at the kitchen table with the calendar in front of us. I let them each pick two days during the month, and I mark their names on those dates on the calendar. These become 'their days,' on which they get to choose what we do (within reason!). We've had lots of fun visiting local parks and farms, painting our faces, eating at ice-cream shops, riding bikes, going to museums, and more. We typically end the day with a pizza party and a movie. It's fun for all of us, and both of the kids love being the boss for the day." -- Karen Lisborg, Rochester, New York
SHARE THOUGHTS IN A TALKING CHAIR
Give Kids a Special Place to Express Themselves
To encourage her children to open up about what's on their minds, Denise Vega of Englewood, Colorado, designated
a comfy armchair in the living room as the Talking Chair. It's a place the kids can head to when they need some alone time with Mom or Dad. In the Talking Chair, Zachary, age eight, Jesse, six, and Rayanne, three, discuss whatever
they want, with "no judging, no reprimands," says Denise, "just listening and, if necessary, talking to figure things out." The real key: all conversations are private, "with no one listening in."
CREATE THEMED EVENINGS
A Weekly Schedule of Evening Activities Cuts Back on TV Time
To keep the family from just sitting in front of the TV every night, Patrick Schill of Rochester, New York, made up a schedule to follow with Peyton, age eight, and Quinton, five, while Mom is at work. Monday is Reading Night,
Tuesday is Puzzle Night, Wednesday is Games Night, and Thursday is Movie Night. Friday night is Kids' Choice. Everyone stays flexible, switching a Reading Night for a Puzzle Night, for instance, when the boys want to. And in the summer, Patrick substitutes throwing around a football or going for a bicycle ride for one of their usual activities. "No matter how hard work is," Patrick says, "I always have in the back of my head that I want to get home and do . . . whatever night it is."
HAVE A DO-NOTHING DAY
Finding a Way to Work Downtime into a Busy Schedule
David Austin of Portland, Oregon, realized that his house was filled with activities galore, even on the weekends. He was determined to find a way to bring downtime back into his family life. Then he thought, "Why not just stay home and do nothing for an entire day?" So he and his wife Maura pitched Do-Nothing Day to their kids, six-year-old Julian and nine-year-old Madeleine. They would break
out of their regular routine and stay home. Each person
would pick a fun activity that all four of them could do together -- no friends, no distractions, and no interruptions.
The new holiday was a big success. Since then, whenever life has gotten particularly hectic, they've planned Do-Nothing Days. David said, "On the corniest, most cliched level, Do-Nothing Days remind us to stop and smell the roses. As a result, our relationships -- child to child, and parent to parent -- have all been enhanced."
BIRTHDAY TREE
Chart Your Child's Growth with a Dedicated Planting
"For our daughter's first birthday, we planted a tree and we took a picture of her standing next to it. Every year since we have taken a picture of her next to her tree. We have since planted a tree for our son, too." -- Jennifer Tucker, Medina, Ohio
