Awesome things you can do when you have kids

Have you ever thought of how having kids can bring out the child in you? We come across so many parenting tips and articles that talk about how to parent our kids so THEY can grow up to be happy. But here is an awesome perspective from Tracey Clayton that’s not just about the joys of being a mum, but of being a mum who is truly young at heart….

How many times have you lost yourself in the toy shop window display, thinking about the toys you wished you could play with? Or sit in the park wondering whether you could still climb that tree but didn’t even try because of fear that someone might see you? How often do you spend your mornings watching cartoons while eating breakfast? Well, if the answer is never, I must tell you that this article is not for you. But if you do feel the pain of acting like an adult, let me tell you how my children changed my world to a fun paradise.

Awesome things you can do when you have kids

Shop for toys

Making my daughters happy has never been easier since the stores are full of wonderful toys that I couldn’t even dream about when I was a kid. Different kinds of Lego cubes and Barbie dolls are just getting better and better. The best thing is, no one would notice if you pick up a toy just for yourself. I got a piglet that sings ‘Sugar, sugar’ by The Archies and everybody thought it was another toy for my girls.

Decorate the kids’ room to your heart’s content

I remember my room when I was a child. It was pretty plain and I wasn’t allowed to draw on the walls or put up whatever poster I wanted. Well, in all honesty, there weren’t that many posters around when I was a kid. But now I can relive it all with my girls. Together, we spend time decorating their room, trying out different styles, and I even got them a chalkboard wall so that they can write and draw on the walls as much as they want without ruining it.

Singing in the car is fun for everyone

When I was young I was a big fan of NKOTB and even though I could sing while driving with my parents, it wasn’t that fun since they didn’t really enjoy that kind of music. Now that my girls listen to One Direction all day long, I learned all the lyrics and we can enjoy singalongs in the car every time we go somewhere. Moreover, there are so many things related to bands these days, and I can make my daughters happy with different mugs, shirts, posters, etc. of their favorite band while I had to be satisfied with cut out magazine articles.

Watching cartoons is now OK

Laughing like there’s no tomorrow while watching Sponge Bob Squarepants before work only resulted in everyone in my house looking at me like I was a nutcase. Everything is changed now. Not only I, but my husband and our parents spend time watching cartoons with the girls. Not so serious now, are you? It even seems to me that my husband and I are more excited before going to the cinema than our daughters. And I’m pretty sure I sing ‘Let it go’ from Frozen more often than the kids do.

The art of dancing

I must say, I didn’t even think this would be so much fun. After dinner, my husband and I play some music our girls like and dance together! They both stand on our feet and move as we move, and every time someone stumbles a little makes us laugh like it’s the funniest thing in the world. Once, when my youngest daughter got her daddy’s suit from the closet and started dancing with it, I laughed so hard that I started crying.

Bake those cookies!

I didn’t even realize what I could do in the kitchen until I started thinking about different cookies that would make my family smile. Finding new designs and recipes is so enjoyable that I don’t even care anymore that the kitchen is always messy. The joy of making sweets together with my girls is inexplicable.

Play outside

You definitely spent a lot of time outside when you were young, so help your kids learn the joys of nature, too. Play hide and seek with your children, throw water balloons at each other, ride some rollerblades, build a sand castle, climb a tree! The possibilities are endless when you’re together with children. Not only is it fun, it’s also healthy both for the adults and the kids – even if you can’t tell the difference during the game.

Great costume parties

Organizing a party, especially a costume party, at my age may seem a little silly. However, my children urged me to organize my husband’s birthday party last year. Since he is a big Superman fan, I organized him a superhero birthday party. I invited all our friends with their children and we agreed that we should all dress up as famous superheroes. Of course that he was delighted, he simply couldn’t believe what was happening! I got him a Superman costume, which he wore with enthusiasm. He returned to his childhood years and was so happy. We had the best time ever and the children were thrilled and grateful, too.

So, parents, don’t try to hide that you’re just big kids, too. Spending time with your children is the greatest thing in the world and the fun you get to have if you relax a little is immense. Let your inner child be the best friend of your child.