“As parents, we are often looking for “the answer” to our numerous questions about raising our children,” shares Rebecca Green, author of Banish Boredom: Activities to Do with Kids That You’ll Actually Enjoy. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking into account your own personality when choosing things to do with your children. My overarching point in this book is to find your own approach to activities with your children – one that suits your personality as you help your children discover their own.”
The Personal Approach to Activities
Start with activities you like.
Your toddler probably can’t tell a Monet from a Lichtenstein but might like climbing stairs. So a trip to an art museum where the kids get to stretch their legs and you get an art fix and a decent cup of coffee is a perfect place to start. Plus I’ve found that if I’m excited or interested in doing a particular activity, our kids are more likely to be excited and interested as well.
Consider your own personality.
I know that parents can feel a lot of pressure to participate in certain kinds of activities with their kids, but I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking into account your own personality when choosing things to do with your children. I’ve found that it’s good to stretch myself a bit and try activities I might be hesitant about doing. But if you’re a homebody and force yourself to plan major outings daily, at the end of the day you’re likely to wind up being an unhappy parent and, in turn, probably having an unhappy child.
Adapt activities to your child’s interests and personality.
Find something about each activity that appeals to each of your children and focus on that. Even if it’s not an activity that your children are interested in initially, working with them to find something about it that they like exposes them to something new, while showing them how to think outside the box a bit.
The creator of Not-So-SAHM, a family-focused lifestyle blog, Rebecca Green writes about arts and crafts, field trips, DIYs, recipes, party fun, and the all-around silliness of her family. She started the blog in 2011 when she decided to take break from practicing law to become a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) and spend more quality time with her family while pursuing creative endeavors.
Her book, Banish Boredom: Activities to Do with Kids That You’ll Actually Enjoy, offers inspiration for parents looking for fun, stimulating activities that will contribute to children’s physical and intellectual growth. Discover ideas for art projects, science projects, sensory projects, outdoor activities, and field trips that will help you find a balance between keeping you and your kids engaged and entertained.
Author(s)Rebecca Green
