Hello there, it’s cool that I got your attention, but before you start reading more. I want to give a” shout out” to all the parents out there; and that you, my friend hopefully shared this with as many as possible.
I wanna start by telling you that I am very happy to share this with you. But first, I want to talk a little about myself. I’m a late 80s baby, a 90s kid, an early 2000s parent and, I’m in my early 30s. so I am considered a Millennial Generation Y, so if you are the same “that’s Wassup”, but if you are not then, don’t worry because being a parent doesn’t have an age or a time. Being a parent is a forever thing, so we can all relate, and “family time” is an important part of a healthy and happy Family.
That’s why I will tell you 5 simple ways, we spend ours. With minimum to no cost and in ways that will help unite and make stronger bonds. The first one is the simplest of them all.
- 1. Short Naps Together.
Super simple, right! and uncommon, especially in this society, where time is becoming a scarce resource and precious commodity. But you might ask why “Napping? “Well first I want to ask you, have you ever heard of schools having “nap times” or maybe you have heard something similar from a friend, or have you by any chance had the chance to experience it in your childhood?
If you did, have you ever asked yourself why they did that? The secret is that 1 -2 hrs naps are beneficial for your body and mind, at any age. So why not give it a try as a family activity? it’s, easy just to get everyone together and take a 1 or 2hr nap. We do it the time when the kids get back from school and by then my wife is already home. I may not help you with your schedule but give it a try “sometimes the simplest things are the most beneficial.”
Number two works for all ages and is one of my favorites. It might even help discover talent in you or your kids and it’s really simple too.
- 2. Art (Drawing, Painting, Singing) Together.
If you have artistic tendencies then, even more, you should try this one. So gather the family together and let’s lose the creativity and imagination, I’m sure the little ones will enjoy the most. All you need is to get everyone a paintbrush, colored pencils or crayons some paper, and together choose one of the three mentioned above to do on the weekends. In fact, doing any of the three will help your children’s brain development and their outlook on the world.
It helps parents too in discovering early, any mental or stressful thing a child is going thru. Give it a try you might get a surprise from what your child draws or paints even you can get a surprise with yourself. For child is easy, they let their feelings and thoughts out like water. But for you, the parents all you need to do is let go relax and just let everything out on a piece of paper or sing a song. Even if it looks or sounds bad, at least by the end of the day you all will get a good laugh out of your masterpiece.
Number three is my wife’s favorite and my nemesis. Yes, for me it’s a nightmare, and am not overweight. I just don’t like it, but for the ones I love, I will keep at it.
- 3. (Walking) Together!
Yup, that’s right it’s hard to believe that Walking can be a family thing. This is a fact; you will see, no matter where you are, a man or woman jogging or walking by them selves. Even in freezing weather, you will see a jogger in the northern states. Ok back on topic, so how many families have you seen or know that go for a walk in the trails, around a park, around a lake regularly as a family together? it’s much less common RIGHT? We had the chance to know a family of four, both parents and 2 kids, a mother, and a father that work full time. They would take turns going jogging by themself, and they used to pass us by every time that we were on our walking family time.
One day the mother stopped and asked us out of curiosity if we always walked as a family around the trail. we answer her, yes that we did. My wife told her that’s how she got to exercise and spend time with the kids at the same time and I tell you this the mother was surprised, the look on her face was priceless!
Now ask yourself, how many families do you see around walking regularly? I don’t even have to tell you all the benefits of walking but for me personally, I have to put in some effort and willpower, my kids see it as, just a normal day out, and when they get home, after a shower: guess what happens? yup, they drop, knocked out of sleep. that’s a good thing for those families that have hyper kids walking is the best medicine.
Here comes number four. We do this once every other weekend, usually on, Saturdays and it’s when most of the Chamizo Family gets together. It’s not a big family Reunion like the one others do where members come from far away, where even the grandparent’s cousins come. No, it’s not like that. It’s just a get-together, I mean just our kids my wife and i, my brother’s family, and my parents. Yes, in-laws and everything, the whole package.
- 4 Bonfire
Now this one it’s not cost-free but when everyone pitches in some cash for the food it sure is cheaper than going out to a restaurant. Just get a big pot and throw ingredients especially “meat” and let it cook. Get the bonfire going, put on some music and that’s all you need to have a good time. I know some of you might say, “Yo man no booze ” or think “Such a good get-together with no alcohol, yeah right “.
Well, my friends, the truth is we do have some drinks but because of the rules set by The Women of the Family, it can only happen after kids go to sleep. So for a once every other weekend activity, it’s Awesome. Oh, and Dominos the table game is a must in our family. So even if you have a small family or a big one it doesn’t matter what background you come from, bonfires and cookouts / hot pots are awesome and fun family times everyone should do.
Are you ready for the final and last one? Maybe this one, for most of the older generation of parents doesn’t do so, or it’s just not their thing, and that’s fine. But if you are one of the many who grew up with them and it stuck in you and you feel it won’t go away any time soon then my friend you will understand this one.
- 5. VIDEO GAMES
Now before we begin with the older generations the ones that remember the spinning tops, flying kites, playing marbles for the boys and the Hopscotch, jumping rope, and the hula hoop for the girls. Believe it or not, my wife and I got to enjoy them and it is one thing about our childhood we will never forget. Before my family got the chance to get me a Super Nintendo, I was running around flying kites and playing marbles with the other kids on the block.
But all that ended when I got a Super Nintendo on my birthday., Contra, Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong became my world, and after that Dream Sega, Mortal Kombat and Sonic, and Mega Man from then on PS, PS2, PS3, and PS4 and from there I went to Gateway W.95, W.98, Dell.W8 playing Age of Empires, Homeworld. Now I am rocking an Alienware. Even my wife got into video games, obsessed back then with Tomb Raider and she still likes it.., I got off topic and got too excited talking about the past fond memories. So as I was saying, video games and why are the final and last, well if you have kids that play video games of some type, either phone, console, or pc the reality is the technology will keep getting better and more advanced and more addicting for the younger and newer generations?
For does that wonder what about sports? I myself am not a sports person lol but I have done it from basketball to soccer, baseball, and even boxing, and it’s always good to try it with our kids. But sadly am more of an indoors LMAO.
Ok, so I will make this short. If you like video games the same for your kids and your wife likes to see the boys in the family together being boys then you are Ok! my friends. It’s that simple and it’s just that fun. I got to let everyone know this. Everything with moderation. We as a family value and hold true to that because anything done excessively will only harm you.
I hope you enjoyed it. If you, did leave a comment below, share your thoughts and ideas or something fun about your childhood memories! Thank you.