Gals - With time being so valuable nowadays, how do you all spend quality time with different family members. Husband, kids, parents, siblings, in-laws, etc. Please share something fun you did with anyone in your family.
I am doing 15 min of yoga with my kids nowadays. They kind of love it. This weekend we tried our hand at gardening too. Both the kids picked some plants and we planted together. It was some hard work but fun. First thing they are back from school, they go out to water those plants.
Quality time with family members
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sumachechi
- Posts: 1339
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:00 am
Quality time with family members
We eat together as far as possible- breakfast split due to school timings but together in school holidays, dinner together all days excluding work related functions. They get involved with laying and clearing table while I get the food there. Telly is never on unless cricket match! Will not have a telly accessible from dining room once we move to our new place soon. We got out on walks, they bike with hubby. Right now have my 2 neices and nephews as well so we take them all out to the stadium to burn up some energy. Sometimes watching movies/cricket match/tennis together. etc etc
Quality time with family members
Exactly like suma mentioned. Dinner time is always together, setup and clean up is handled by kids. Kids are young, now they fight to do the task, it will change soon :-) TV is never turned on during dinner, no exceptions! Walking in trails when the weather is good.
Kids & I have some time to talk about their school,friends & other fun stuff in the eve before dad arrives. Some of my friends go strawberry picking at local farms as a family activity, that sounds like fun too.
Kids & I have some time to talk about their school,friends & other fun stuff in the eve before dad arrives. Some of my friends go strawberry picking at local farms as a family activity, that sounds like fun too.
Quality time with family members
anwesha;281828Kids & I have some time to talk about their school,friends & other fun stuff in the eve before dad arrives. Some of my friends go strawberry picking at local farms as a family activity, that sounds like fun too.
Visiting local farms seems like a good idea. should try that. One of my friends mentioned she
and her daughter(11 years old) stitched a dress together. I did not ask further details at that time, but the girl wore the dress and came home. It was not bad.
Dinners on weekends are usually together, weekdays it varies. I still feed my younger one most of the time, should stop that.:-)
Quality time with family members
Although I miss this set up, I like the kitchen with open family room. You don't feel like left out while cooking.
Kids are playing,watching TV or doing home work but you can still interact with them while doing chores. You can have a brief stop in between when they need hugs and help and then back to work.
Atleast it gives me the feeling of being together and the satisfaction of spending some time(quality?) together.
Off late my kiddoo is showing interest in cooking. I am letting het cut tomatoes, cilantro and also some times let her stir the pot. This itself takes 30 minutes for her :)) and I am always around her, talking.
Other tips: If you have enough space where you work most of the time(may be kitchen?) after kids return from school, try to set up other things around the same area. I have a book shelf of my kids and our mail box around kitchen area. This helps me to sort them out qtuickly in between so that I can wind up kitchen as early as possible and spend some time with kids later after dinner. Absolutely no TV once we(Read I :) ) enter family room. That's the rule.. period.
Kids are playing,watching TV or doing home work but you can still interact with them while doing chores. You can have a brief stop in between when they need hugs and help and then back to work.
Atleast it gives me the feeling of being together and the satisfaction of spending some time(quality?) together.
Off late my kiddoo is showing interest in cooking. I am letting het cut tomatoes, cilantro and also some times let her stir the pot. This itself takes 30 minutes for her :)) and I am always around her, talking.
Other tips: If you have enough space where you work most of the time(may be kitchen?) after kids return from school, try to set up other things around the same area. I have a book shelf of my kids and our mail box around kitchen area. This helps me to sort them out qtuickly in between so that I can wind up kitchen as early as possible and spend some time with kids later after dinner. Absolutely no TV once we(Read I :) ) enter family room. That's the rule.. period.
Quality time with family members
MR, My house kitchen is as you have mentioned, and it does gives feeling of being together with family. Kid's table is set in the corner, and while she does her home work, we do our home work! ;-)
Before chota bheem landed our routine was more organized like kiddo and me offering prayers together in the evening. Going to river drive or taking her for cycling. While cutting/cooking she would be my little helper and she used to ask for little dough and while I make rotis for all she would make little ones for all family + extended family. Dinner together.
After chota bheem has landed there is no fixed pattern yet. Now I divide my time into smaller chunks of 5-10 minutes and spend with them sometimes separately and sometimes together. Older Kiddo acts like a teacher and I am the student, and I need to read only those words pointed by her little finger. Else I will have to read the whole thing all over again. Keep getting time outs every now and then by her.
Even the drive time is kind of together time for us as kid keeps us engaged in some sort of word games/thinking games.
Another popular family time would be Wii Tennis. DH had created profile of chota bheem ...and now all are Pro except me! :( Even grand parents had their profile and would play.
Before chota bheem landed our routine was more organized like kiddo and me offering prayers together in the evening. Going to river drive or taking her for cycling. While cutting/cooking she would be my little helper and she used to ask for little dough and while I make rotis for all she would make little ones for all family + extended family. Dinner together.
After chota bheem has landed there is no fixed pattern yet. Now I divide my time into smaller chunks of 5-10 minutes and spend with them sometimes separately and sometimes together. Older Kiddo acts like a teacher and I am the student, and I need to read only those words pointed by her little finger. Else I will have to read the whole thing all over again. Keep getting time outs every now and then by her.
Even the drive time is kind of together time for us as kid keeps us engaged in some sort of word games/thinking games.
Another popular family time would be Wii Tennis. DH had created profile of chota bheem ...and now all are Pro except me! :( Even grand parents had their profile and would play.
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Mumbai_2009
- Posts: 844
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:15 pm
Quality time with family members
I have couple of neices who visit us often (btw 7 to 11 years). We normally go out on excursions in the national park which is hardly an hour drive. The best part of living in Mumbai is we have a national park in the city limit and its a great stress buster. wildlife excursion/bird watching/trails are easily accessible. The other fun part is the kitchen time. When the baccha log are visiting, we decide on a dish to cook each day and they take great pleasure in making it. I am there to help/guide them but they do everything on their own from cutting/chopping/stirring/cleaning everytime. they learn a new thing and I get to spend quality time with them talking/chatting. Its fun.
Added later:
I give them all the credit and praise them infront of their parents profusely (sincere praises) much to the surprise of their cousins. Cousins say...kids don't do anything at home so how come they do everything at your place. I make them responsible for what they are doing and hold them accountable and trust me given the responsbility they do a great job. They are all very enthusiatic and always ask..so what we cooking next?
Added later:
I give them all the credit and praise them infront of their parents profusely (sincere praises) much to the surprise of their cousins. Cousins say...kids don't do anything at home so how come they do everything at your place. I make them responsible for what they are doing and hold them accountable and trust me given the responsbility they do a great job. They are all very enthusiatic and always ask..so what we cooking next?
Quality time with family members
Me and my Tinku are really pathetic at any form of art but i always get one those blank canvases and we make it a big deal while doing our modern art..we put on old coats and colour to our heart content..surprisingly few of them have turned out quite well and are gracing some of my friends living room and hallways.
Its fun.
Other thing we do it during winter is sometimes we put up pop up tent in our living room and make a picnic food together like sandwiches,cut fruits,jelly,than go and eat them in tent...sometime we end of sleeping in it .
Its fun.
Other thing we do it during winter is sometimes we put up pop up tent in our living room and make a picnic food together like sandwiches,cut fruits,jelly,than go and eat them in tent...sometime we end of sleeping in it .
Quality time with family members
maya1, I liked the tent idea at home. We have play tent which I put in family room some times over the weekend but it's just for kids to play. May be I should give a try to do sleep over in there.