Traditions
What is the full moon? The end of a cycle? The fruition of a month? Not sure I used fruition right, but it's my blog, right?
One of the things I wanted to start doing was spending more time with the kids, just doing things together. Went boogey boarding yesterday and taught them at least the correct theory of how you're supposed to do it. Come on, this is Long Island, there aren't any waves around here except MAYBE Montauk. So that was interesting. Gillian was more interested in letting the wave crash and have the whitewash pull her and her board. Giggled her butt off for about 2 hours, so she must have been doing something right.
So, while Fae was cursing at her Palm Centro, Yahoo, and her computer in equal measure, I took the kids out to see the full moon and we all talked about what we'd tried to accomplish the month before, and how we think we did. They were both tired and kinda punchy, but I think it means something to them to do stuff like this, and to have traditions.
Do you remember any from when you were a kid?
I remember camping as a kid. We'd pack up the three kids and my Dad and go somewhere on the Appalachian Trail and walk around for a day or so. Got caught in torrential downpours a few times, even remember sleeping on the floor of our VW rabbit one time. Miserable, but I remember it fondly nonetheless. We ended up waking up the next morning for a hearty breakfast of Dinty Moore Stew and hiking quite a bit.
That's what I want to make for my kids - things to remember. Traditions to pass down, things like that.
August 18th, 2008 - 14:08
My parents made it a point to take us on three vacations a year (yes, I realize now that I was spoiled silly). One was always skiing, usually at Stratton Mountain in Vermont. One was in Wildwood, NJ at the end of the summer. And one was to either Florida or somewhere we hadn’t been before, like Toronto or Acapulco. I have amazing memories of those times, though a lot of them are starting to blur a bit as I get older.
As traditions go, travel is a good one. But other things, such as making a big deal over holidays with family, or small things like looking up at the full moon, can be great, too. For me, it’s about creating memories of closeness with one another that matters. That’s what I try to do with my kids.
August 18th, 2008 - 18:55
I love remembering family vacations as I grew up. My dad had two weeks every year and we drove to just about every state west of Colorado. I’ve seen more of the Western States in the back of a Ford station wagon than I’d like to admit.
I try to do the same with my kids. We try to plan something with the kids every year. Harder since they’ve gotten older. But they know the importance of “family time” and I hope they instill it into their own family lives when they marry.