How often do you say this to yourself "I would love to do that, but I just don't have the time"?
Have a massage, get pampered, bushwalk, or just sit down and play a game with the kids.
I'm busy, I'm cooking dinner, I've got shopping to do, I'm doing housework, I'm in the middle of something, somewhere to go, something to do.
Life is just so busy, it's crazy. We all feel it. And we have days when we just wish we could throw it all away, switch off the phone, the computer and live out in the bush....Nimbin Style! Right?
And then we read all these amazing blogs about the wonderful things we should be doing with our families and feel guilty because we just haven't got the time to do them. So never fear. I am going to make a list of 25 things you can do anytime, while you're out and about doing your errands that will help put a little learning into the everyday mundane bits of daily life so the kids get that extra education benefit, and you get all your stuff done!
Sound good? I hope so. Let me know what you think I could add to the list, or which ones you might try? Just try 1 or 2 to start with.
SUPERMARKET
1. Calculators out - kids keep count of what you've spent so you don't go over budget, and they don't get bored asking for things!
2. Kids work out best value for money. It's written on the tickets these days....shouldn't take TOO long.
3. Kids weigh fruit & veg and work out how much it will cost (e.g. 500g of bananas at 2.50 per kilo should be $1.25c)
4. Kids find the healthiest school snacks, learning about nutrition and packaging. Some school have the no wrap policy, others have the no packaged food policy.
5. Give them a catalogue and a budget and let them spend it "pretend".
6. Stock up on books! Lots of them. Take the DVD Player out of the back seat, and have books!
7. Play "I Spy".
8. Learn a second language on CD. What else are you doing the car? Not much really. So why not learn a bit of Italian or Japanese from a disc. Brilliant if they are learning a language at school too.
9. Back Seat Drivers - get the kids to be your GPS. Turn Left, turn right, at this roundabout take the 2nd exit. Use the good old road map. Reading and sense of direction in one!
10. Read every street sign you go past.
COOKING DINNER
11. Set the table like at a restaurant. Knives, forks, spoons all in the right spots. Glasses, napkins, plates, placemats. A bit of general dining ettiquette never goes astray. Write place cards or menus for each setting.
12. Read the recipes. Measure the ingredients. 1/2 cup, 1 teaspoon, 250 grams are important factors in cooking.
13. Write a recipe book. Each time you cook a new meal have them add it to the Family Cook Book. Follow your steps and take notes. Draw a little flow diagram to show how to do something tricky.
14. Read the backs of the packets. Nutritional information especially. It's important to know what you're eating.
15. Make a menu planner for your weekly meals. Write out your favourite dishes on cards, then stick them on the fridge for each night's meals this week.
CLEANING UP
16. Have the kids write up their own roster. Name the jobs, and who does them.
17. If budget allows, dish out pocket money only for completed chores each week. Tick them off daily. Learning the value of working to get money is important for a sense of achievement, over entitlement.
18. Read the instructions for the vaccum cleaner, the dishwasher, the washing machine. Read the labels on the buttons. We memorise the buttons we press, but could we actually name what they say without looking?
19. Think about natural, environmentally friendly ways to clean the house without chemicals. Get the kids to research it on the internet. Vinegar, lemon juice, bi-carb soda etc.
20. Turn on the kids favourite music to sing along to while doing the chores. This makes it a bit fun, and music is good for the soul.
AT THE PARK
21. Stop to read the signs. Are there signs about the wildlife, about the history of the area, something significant? Stop and admire them and understand the area you are enjoying.
22. Play a family game of sport. The playgroud is great, but a family round of kick the ball or cricket is even better. A bit of friendly competition and bonding and laughter. Can't get any better.
23. Look for different flowers, trees, plants, animals. Anything that you don't have in your own backyard. Stop and look at it. Enjoy it. Breathe it in. Relax for a minute before you run off.
24. Play treasure hunt! Write a few things on a list and get the kids to run off and find them.
25. Just enjoy the moment. Have fun. Be together. Hug. Laugh. And be worry free for a few minutes.
So which ones will you try? Here's your assignment. Pick 2 that you will do in the next few days and let me know how you go.
I'll choose 8 and 25.
Happy Learning!
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