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Simple Pleasures for the Whole Family

1. Sit on the floor with your children. Don’t tell them what to do. Follow their leads. You will treasure these moments.

2. Have a popcorn and soda night. Watch a movie together while you enjoy indulging in everyone’s favorite treats.

3. Share “first” adventures with your children. Take them to the public library, bake cookies, go to a play or a movie, take a train ride, make a snowman, play on the beach, or watch the sunset, and explain the how’s and the why’s.

4. Make a thankful box. Decorate a shoe or other small box and cut a slit in its top. Every night or once a week, have everyone in the family write something they are thankful for and then place it in the box. Set a date for the reading and sharing of them all, maybe near Thanksgiving.

5. Have a “mommy and me” or “daddy and me” outing. No matter how old you are, it’s nice to spend time with a parent all by yourself!

6. Exercise together. Take walks, ride bikes, and/or take lessons togehter such as tennis, or horseback riding.

7. Write notes to each other. Tuck them into lunch boxes, backpacks, tape to the refrigerator, or place on a pillow.

8. Share your life with someone—grandparents, family friends, or a needy person in your community. Take them cookies or other permitted things. Ask your children for suggestions, and have them accompany you.

9. Make dinners together. Teach your children how to cook by making it a family fun time. Start out slowly, maybe one night a week.

10. Try to (always) eat dinners together. Listen to each other as you talk about everyone’s day.

11. Make a game of sharing each other’s day. Each person at the table has to share three things about their day (preferably about the part of the day at school or at work). Two of the things should be true and one should be untrue. Have everyone else guess which one is the false one. You might be surprised at what you learn.