In the last year both my brother and sister got married.  Now that they are no longer single it is a rare occasion that my parents and I get to spend time with them without their new spouses.  Although I love my new in-laws and I think it’s fun that our family has grown larger, I do value the rare times when I get to bond with my siblings on their own.

This week I am on a five day trip with just my sister, my mom, and my puppy and it is wonderful!  We hangout all day, laugh, go shopping, get facials, eat ice cream, watch silly tv shows, and just enjoy each other’s company.

Mom, daughter, sister, and girlfriend bonding is so important for balance in your life.  Sometimes you just need to spend some time with the girls to chit chat and laugh and maybe treat yourselves to some shopping and mani/pedis.  You will probably miss your man, but I promise that your friends and family will cherish that one-on-one time that they get to spend with you.

Sometimes when relationships are new and exciting it’s hard to remember to schedule trips or weekends away from each other to just spend time with the girls.  But make it a priority!  Don’t just do it to be a good friend/sister/daughter, but do it to be good to yourself too.  It’s important to find that balance in your relationship where you can be happy when you are together, but also happy and comfortable when you are apart.

Image: sxc.hu

Post from: Blisstree

Spend Some Time With The Girls

In our house, the rule of thumb is that once the kids are weaned to a bottle, they are expected to sleep in their own rooms. The parent’s bed is only for the parents. This, in part, is due to the fact that my husband has serious back problems and cannot bear to sleep in compromising positions. We also share the belief that our bed is the place where we can strengthen marital bonds (aka have sex) and should not have to move kids into their own beds, in the middle of the night, to do so. I could not imagine how non existent our sex life would be if we allowed our kids to make themselves at home in our bed.

It has been shown that kids who sleep in a family bed, have trouble self soothing. Newborns who share a bed with their parents, are at a greater risk of SIDS. Kids also experience a lack of REM sleep. The same can be said for their parents. Also, what happens when these kids get older and sleep over at a friend’s house? I’m pretty sure that the parents of Jr’s playmate, will not be too thrilled when they get a 3 o’clock visit from him, requesting to share the bed space. It just seems like the positive aspect of bonding is far outweighed by the negative aspects. Maybe the answer is to spend more day light hours bonding, in order to get some spousal bonding at night. Then again, some people do not mind the lack of alone time. It really is an individual preference matter. What are your thoughts on this subject?

Post from: Blisstree

Families Who Share Sleeping Space

When is the last time you became a kid for the day? One of the things that Jo Frost taught us, during her time with our family, was to take the opportunity to make play a priority. I know that I’ve said this before, but I cannot emphasize enough, the joy that kids get out of seeing their parents take off their parent suits and be a kid for the day. No matter the age, your child will always remember the day that mom or dad became one of them.

If you have little ones, the most important thing to remember is to get down to their level. Walk on your knees, get down on the floor, or whatever it takes to get to their eye level. It is an amazing transformation that takes place when your toddler has full access to you, instead of just your knee caps. Sometimes, just laying on the floor and pretending to be asleep, then surprising them when they get close to you, can keep them entertained for quite awhile. It is only a matter of creating simple activities that allow them to have your full attention for the day.

Elementary aged kids are still young enough to enjoy imaginary play. One of our favorite things to do is camp out in the living room. We make a tent out of sheets, grab sleeping bags and tell stories around an imaginary camp fire. We pass the story stick and weave some pretty incredible tales, while munching on popcorn. When it is bed time, we all sleep under the tent…even mom and dad! If you don’t have a whole evening to spare, try playing dress up for awhile. Have a silly fashion show or pretend to be superheroes. Just getting to hang out with you will be a special treat in itself. Take the time to do it before they become teenagers who think you are an uncool know-nothing. 

Older kids can be so preoccupied by their own lives, that they don’t realize what a great play mate that old mom or dad can be. Challenge your tween to a video game showdown or round of candy poker. It is harder to get the older kids to suggest bonding activities, so it may take some creativity. If you take a moment to think about what they enjoy doing, you might be able to incorporate it into a parent/child activity. They may call you a dork if you challenge them to a rap off, but they will always have that memory to look back on… and they may even smile when they think about it!

It is possible, at any stage of childhood, to make a play date with your child. Feel free to share your own play ideas below and then head over to About.com to find some other great blogs about the importance of play. Remember, take an interest in your child, while they still have an interest in you. Before you know it, they will be off to start their own lives and the days of play will be long gone.

Post from: Blisstree

Unleash Your Inner Child Through Play