Spring is my favourite time of year.
Easter is my favourite holiday of all.
The world is waking up, there’s a feeling of optimism and energy in the air.
I’m someone who believes that my time is the greatest gift I can give my children. I’m also an advocate of developing family traditions and creating memories.
Let’s talk about traditions first.
Easter is a time for bonnets and chocolate, but it’s also a time for Disney films, and a trip to the Welsh hills.
We watch the same films, and visit the same place in Wales each year. Sound boring?
I suppose it does sound a little repetitive. But there’s something intrinsically reassuring about repeating certain rituals at certain times.
We all have our Christmas traditions that makes Christmas what it is to us. The same goes for Easter at Chez Wright.
Something else that may sound boring is scheduling.
But it works.
I schedule each school holiday to maximise the time we have together.
By my reckoning I have 7 Easter holidays with the Kids whilst they are at Primary school. We’ve already at 5 out of the 7 with my eldest.
My days of snuggling on the sofa in PJ’s, as the morning sun streams in through the window, watching ‘Finding Nemo’ are numbered. I’m under no illusion that this, first Monday morning of any holiday, tradition will last forever.
(We actually watched ‘Frozen’ this morning. But you get the idea :))
By knowing what we are doing, in advance, and with whom, means we can use those precious (and limited) days to their fullest.
Because as Gretchen Rubin quite rightly reminds us;
‘The days are long but the years are short’
Are you a fan of planning in advance, or does a more spontaneous approach work for you and yours?
I love the idea of starting traditions and repeating them every year. My oldest will be starting preschool this coming fall. I had never thought about how many holidays I get with them while they are in elementary school. Thank you for pointing that out! Looks like I have some thinking to do about what kinds of traditions we need to start here at house Koehn….
Fantastic! Yes, I am always counting. Never realised how much until recently. How many days till this, how many holidays until that. I’m all for maximising time!
I love the idea of starting traditions and repeating them every year. My oldest will be starting preschool this coming fall. I had never thought about how many holidays I get with them while they are in elementary school. Thank you for pointing that out! Looks like I have some thinking to do about what kinds of traditions we need to start here at house Koehn….
Fantastic! Yes, I am always counting. Never realised how much until recently. How many days till this, how many holidays until that. I’m all for maximising time!
As my children grew up I came to see the advantages in scheduling in advance – even if it was to schedule unstructured time amidst “must-do’s”. At the beginning of a week-long holiday I asked both children which two or three things they wanted to make sure we did during the week, and scheduled them in. Spontaneity has its place, but the pleasure of anticipating an acitvity seems to add to the actual activity in a way that spontaneous decisions do not. I have found this for myself as well – looking forward to something is as delightful as the thing itself.
Anticipation is most certainly part of the enjoyment. My Kids love doing the same thing, as they understand what is to come. But when I thought about it, as a child I did too. Each time we repeated something it solidified the memory further…
As my children grew up I came to see the advantages in scheduling in advance – even if it was to schedule unstructured time amidst “must-do’s”. At the beginning of a week-long holiday I asked both children which two or three things they wanted to make sure we did during the week, and scheduled them in. Spontaneity has its place, but the pleasure of anticipating an acitvity seems to add to the actual activity in a way that spontaneous decisions do not. I have found this for myself as well – looking forward to something is as delightful as the thing itself.
Anticipation is most certainly part of the enjoyment. My Kids love doing the same thing, as they understand what is to come. But when I thought about it, as a child I did too. Each time we repeated something it solidified the memory further…
I think that scheduling is important to manage time well. However, I’m working on spontaneity also. I think that both have their place. Have a great holiday with your kids.
Even spontaneity can be scheduled in. It’s about having that contingency. Today is a ‘down day’ at Chez Wright. We’ve scheduled in some free-time. So should an opportunity arose, we can sieze it. Thank you for your wishes!
I think that scheduling is important to manage time well. However, I’m working on spontaneity also. I think that both have their place. Have a great holiday with your kids.
Even spontaneity can be scheduled in. It’s about having that contingency. Today is a ‘down day’ at Chez Wright. We’ve scheduled in some free-time. So should an opportunity arose, we can sieze it. Thank you for your wishes!