Family fun doesn't have to cost much time, money
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By MARY GEISSLER
For the Herald
Monday, June 9, 2008 11:07 AM CDT
As we get into summer, many parents panic. Their kids have been in school all year but they haven’t planned that many family activities together. Soon the busy summer will begin to consume everyone’s energy.
Finding fun family activities doesn’t have to stretch people’s budgets or require a two-week vacation.
With kids out of school, there’s an illusion that we are so much more available in the summer. That creates an expectation that can lead to disappointment as schedules can be as busy as ever during those three months.
In reality, most families do not have lots of free time. But families can decide where to put the emphasis on their enjoyable activities.
For many families, schedules and budgets will simply not allow for a big family vacation. The expenses of traveling, especially long distances, will likely cut into the amount of disposable income a family enjoys. That means money that might have gone toward buying souvenirs, gifts, or fancy dinners, now must be carefully weighted against real expenses. Without preparation, this can catch families off guard.
If schedules and budgets don’t allow for a big family vacation, there are ways families can enjoy themselves and learn about each other during spare moments together. None of these require money or huge amounts of time, but they can help to reinforce togetherness and solidarity that will give children positive memories.
Research shows that strong, healthy families generally have five things in common. They communicate well, they affirm and support each other, they solve problems and make decisions together, they have ties to the community and they have a sense of family pride and loyalty.
No where in that list does “money” or the word “expensive” appear! So, families should look for activities that reinforce each of these areas. Some of those activities could include:
n A family “fun-raising” to promote decision-making among family members. The whole family sits down together and decides what they want to do, based on each person’s interests, available time and money. They can plan an evening, a weekend or a whole week’s vacation. Everyone gets a voice in the decision.
n A time capsule that can be put together during family reunions or picnics to strengthen family ties. Each family member brings an item important to his life to contribute. Then, one family holds onto the time capsule until the next year, when it is passed to another family.
n Taking an oral history from grandparents or older relatives to promote family pride. Children and parents can interview older relatives about their lives, then write up the history to share with other family members. This activity emphasizes the importance of grandparents and older relatives in a family’s life.
n A “talking box” to strengthen family communications. This is an excellent activity to play when traveling by car.
Questions are put in a box, then family members each draw a question and answer it. Questions focus on individual’s likes, dislikes and beliefs. The activity encourages family members to listen and respect other’s viewpoints.
It might surprise parents to learn that huge, expensive vacations are not the only answer to family interaction. Sometimes, just walking along the lakeshore or riverside gathering rocks and shells — spotting turtles, muskrats, eagles or ducks yields a treasure-trove of memories for kids.
The Chippewa Valley is rich in large, rambling parks, rivers and lakes — and families usually enjoy discovering the treasures that are right in front of us.
A fun evening — right in your own home town! Try it — I bet you make plans to do it again and again.
Mary Geissler is the Chippewa County Family Living Agent. Reach her at (715) 726-7950.
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