I think about my kids all the time — my roommates know that I like to say that my family already exists in another dimension. I like to read parenting books from time to time (I’m in middle of Good Inside, by Dr. Becky Kennedy, right now). Some things I want to do with my kids once we are in the same dimension:
- Celebrate birthdays. I read a smart system for handling birthday parties with kids’ friends: host a party every other year starting with the child’s fifth birthday — say until high school — so that’s a friends party for each child at ages 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. A family celebration on the alternate years. Birthday presents.
- Adventurous eating. I loved this book.
- Read aloud with them from infancy. I couldn’t get enough of this book on this subject.
- Travel as a family. Whether that looks like day trips, road trips, or international travel, I want us to be a family that goes places together.
- One-on-one parent-child dates.
- Learn alongside them. Whether that’s what they are learning in school, or a deep dive into a topic or activity or skill.
- Have a system for teaching my children how to be confident and competent helpers around the house.
- Fill-in milestone books. My grandmother has a few of those for my mother and her siblings and they are gems.
- A Motzoei Shabbos ritual.
- Host Shabbos guests. I want my kids to, please G-d, be comfortable with difference and to be exposed to a variety of ages and backgrounds.
Those are some that come to mind; I’m sure I’ll come up with others later on. What do you want to do with your kids?
