We’ve never been very good at playing with our kids. Matt and I are both pretty task-oriented and both always manage to have quite a bit going on. We love our kids and enjoy being around them, especially as they have gotten older and we can have actual conversations with them. But to sit down and play games or with toys….not so much.
We have discussed this shortcoming of ours many times over the years. We have gone in spurts of doing well. But our default is to retire to the computer…or the smart phone….or the television….or a book…and live parallel lives rather than integrated lives.
So this weekend, after another discussion of this nature, I was praying about this and felt like the Lord gave me an idea: Thirty For 30 – thirty minutes of interactive, fun play a day for 30 days…to see what it does to our relationships, our hearts, our home.
It’s a simple plan but a huge one. We started last night with a trip to the park where Matt played tag with the big girls and I pushed small chicks on swings. Tonight it was a tearful game of Skip Bo (who knew that was possible?!). I look forward to what the Lord will do in the next thirty days. I’m praying it will be something great for our family.
What about you? What do you do to make family fun a priority in this crazy world of raising kids?
My Ears Are Tired 
What a great idea! It would be quite a challenge for us as well.
this is a great strategy. i am going to talk to john about it. we have talked about “doing more” with the girls as well… as we are in the same boat. i am not a fun mom. i am ok with that to an extent. i want to be a PRESENT mom, a focussed mom, and an intentional one. and at this stage in the game, that often will mean i need to PLAY more to connect more with the girls. its just too easy to put on that movie for them while i go do XYZ… or send them outside for some good time in nature – a good thing…. but….they would most of the time rather be with me, playing, doing together than anything.
I loved the fact that our religion strongly encourages “Family Home Evening” and “Date Night” once a week. On the family home evening we have an opening prayer sing a church song or two then have a small lesson where each child and or parent depending on age of child gives it. After that we’ll play a game or do a fun activity as a family. Then we have another song then a closing prayer. That night we usual always get a “treat” afterwards. I would love to commit to a 30 for 30 also! I’ll have to mention that to the other ladies in our Relief Society Group on Sunday:) Maybe it would help encourage other Moms and Dads to do the same 🙂
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