The Family Jar

At Christmastime I gave the children a jar with slips of paper in it with different fun family activities. Every week, or as soon as we finish the current ones, Kylee and Kaden each draw out a paper with an activity. So far we have done the following...

Out to Eat - Parents' Choice - We chose Old Chicago.

Movie Night - Kaden's Choice - He chose "The Rookie".

Color a special picture for someone far away and mail it to him/her.

Movie Night - Dena' s Choice - I chose "National Treasure 2".

Go out to eat at a place you have never been to before. - We went to Old Main in Ames.

Kaden plans supper menu. - He did his on a snow day and chose hot dogs and chips.

Kylee plans supper menu. - She made menus with her plan.

Kids make supper for Mom & Dad. - They did this one tonight.

They decided to make Homemade Pizza and they did it ALL by themselves.

They didn't even want us in the kitchen. It was delicious, especially since they decided to put twice as much cheese on it.

The kids LOVE doing these things. Kylee told me one day though, "Mom, you're doing this because you're a teacher - only a teacher would do this." I told her she was probably right.

I'm doing it because I want make sure we have family time but also to teach them - how to make decisions, how to accept someone else's decision, how to plan nutritious meals and how to make time for these things.

Disclaimer - Hot dogs would not normally be considered nutritious but they are Kaden's favorite and we NEVER have them and it was a snow day so I let him put them on his menu. He was elated!