We live such fast and busy times that sometimes we forget to nurture deep personal relationships. This does not only happen with friendships, but also with family ties. We expect that by simply living in the same house with our spouse or kids is enough to build strong, harmonious relationships.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Kids, for example, need a lot of personal involvement from their parents and will develop into healthy adults when they receive it. Dads, in particular, have a tougher time showing their emotions and getting close to their kids. This is why we’ve compiled a list of three ways in which you can better bond with your kids:
1. Everybody Loves a Good Old-Fashioned Costume Party
A sure way to spend a fun and exciting afternoon with your kids is by throwing a costume party. You can either keep it between yourselves or also invite some of their close friends. Ask them what their preferences are and get them a costume of a character you know they’ll love or simply go the old-fashioned route and surprise them.
Think space astronaut costumes, animal and princess costumes. Whatever you choose, they’ll have a blast and you’ll have the opportunity to engage with them all day long.
2. Lower Stress Levels and Increase Creativity by Drawing Together
Disregard the fact that you most likely haven’t drawn in ages and that your human figures look nothing like how they’re supposed to. Take advantage of the situation, buy a set of crayons and spend some time drawing with your kids.
You can guess what each of you wanted to draw, have competitions and challenge each other to draw better. This will not only help you better cope with stress, but will also teach them the value of creativity and the importance of seeing things in different perspectives.
3. Road Trips Are Great Bonding Experiences
Just as with adults, road tripping with your kids can prove to be the ultimate bonding experience. You get to spend a lot of time together and get to know each other in all moods and circumstances, regardless of the setting.
Depending on what they like most, you can either have a getaway in a more mountainous setting, with hikes and camping out, or at the seaside so you can build sand castles together and splash in the water. Or, if they’re not very fond of nature, take them to a major city and explore what it has to offer. Museums, zoos and adventure parks – just go with the flow.
All in all, it’s important to remember that kids are really unpretentious when it comes to their activities. Sure, they may sometimes throw a fit about a particular thing they need to do, but more often than not they are ready to embrace whatever new experience life has to offer them. Or their awesome Dad, for that matter. So enjoy your time together and make use of it, since these are rare opportunities to really make a difference in their future and in your relationship together.