Culture & Entertainment
3 Kids, 3 Different Ages, 3 Different Interests. How do I keep the Harmony?
Culture & Entertainment
3 Kids, 3 Different Ages, 3 Different Interests. How do I keep the Harmony?
I have 3 children (2 girls, ages 6 & 15 and an 11 year old boy). They are of various ages and have totally different interests. I have always found this to be somewhat of a challenge. It seems that no matter what outing/event/activity we decide upon, someone always ends up crying, sulking or flat out refusing to join us. I want to hear excitement and enthusiasm from ALL of them. Instead I usually hear one "Yay", one "Awww" and one "I'm not going". It's very frustrating. Sometimes I'd rather not even bother at all. But I like to do things with them, all of them, all of us. Well.... After all these years, I have learned a thing or two. Things that they ALL like to do and I'd like to share them with you. Maybe, just maybe, it'll help you in your quest to keep the harmony in your family. 1. Everyone loves the beach. We like to invite a few friends and spend the day. The younger ones like to build sand castles while the older ones enjoy walking along the water's edge for miles and miles. [caption id="attachment_3615" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Remnants of a washed away sand castle"]
[/caption] 2. Family Bike Rides. After dinner, we like to hop on our bikes and take off to the nearby trails or the local Starbucks. Sometimes, on the weekend, we'll pack a picnic and a ball and head over to the park. 3. We live fairly close to some kid-friendly farms. The little ones love to feed the animals and the older ones can go out in the fields and pick apples or strawberries (depending on the season). 4. Cottage and weekend getaways. I LOVE getting away - so do the kids. A night away in a new city or a week in a rustic cottage can be a wonderful bonding experience. [caption id="attachment_3616" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="We have many wonderful memories here"]
[/caption] 5. Family movie nights. We have the kids get together and pick a movie. We pop some popcorn and enjoy some quiet time. I know that my kids will rarely share the same interests. They're very diverse and at different stages in their lives. So, when I find something that EVERYONE likes, I make it a family tradition. After all, you can't break tradition, can you?
[/caption] 2. Family Bike Rides. After dinner, we like to hop on our bikes and take off to the nearby trails or the local Starbucks. Sometimes, on the weekend, we'll pack a picnic and a ball and head over to the park. 3. We live fairly close to some kid-friendly farms. The little ones love to feed the animals and the older ones can go out in the fields and pick apples or strawberries (depending on the season). 4. Cottage and weekend getaways. I LOVE getting away - so do the kids. A night away in a new city or a week in a rustic cottage can be a wonderful bonding experience. [caption id="attachment_3616" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="We have many wonderful memories here"]
[/caption] 5. Family movie nights. We have the kids get together and pick a movie. We pop some popcorn and enjoy some quiet time. I know that my kids will rarely share the same interests. They're very diverse and at different stages in their lives. So, when I find something that EVERYONE likes, I make it a family tradition. After all, you can't break tradition, can you?
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