I have so many memories of my dad playing with me and my brother. Not just being around when we were playing but actually throwing the ball, running around, crawling on the floor, playing with us. I already try to give my kids my full attention (the cell phone makes it hard) but I want to play games with them and really have fun together.
My parents also instilled great values about money. We were taught about money and its value from an early age. Even though we joked, still do, about my dad and his cheapness, they really taught us to appreciate what we have and to take care of things.
Camping and boating. Sending LO to summer camp. The occasional TV dinner Friday.
I'm not sure if I agree with any of their discipline strategies now that I think about it. I did get my door removed because I was a door slammer. That was a good idea.
As stated in the parenting thread, I plan on punishing the same. I also plan on attending all of their sporting events/theater events/whatever events they want to be involved in. Even though I hated it at the time, looking back now I love that my parents came to all of my swim meets, plays, performances, etc.
I also plan on being "mean" and making them play a musical instrument, at least for a year.
Other traditions/things I want to continue with them:
-lamb butter & lamb cake for Easter
-lighting the Advent wreath & Menorah at Christmas time (my parents humored me and got me a Menorah when I decided I wanted to be Jewish. :-) )
-Going up north to "God's Country" as my DH calls it...we had a cabin there when I was little and have spent a lot of time there throughout my life.
-Reading books together everyday
-Meals together at the table
I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting, but those are the biggest ones that stick out to me.
My mom used to crank up music really loud on a Saturday morning after she had her coffee and clean house. It was so fun. She would dance around and sing. Still does.
Family dinner, every night, around the table with no tv except on Friday nights when we had a pizza picnic in the family room while watching a show or movie.
We played lots of board games and card games together.
Road trips with lots of fun stops along the way. My parents wouldn't push us to get to our destination quickly, we would stop in the late afternoon at hotels with pools so we could spend the evening swimming.
My mom came to almost every one of my soccer games, track meets, dance recitals, etc. She was really hard on me, but at least she was always there.
And music was always playing in our house. I definitely do that as well. I throw in dance parties too, my parents weren't dancers but they did love music.
Emma Rose - 9.14.05 Beckett - 5.26.07 Sawyer - 9.22.12 Lennon Mae - 9.26.14
My mom had a very distant/traditional relationship with her father - the first time he told her he loved her was when she was 18. He ate dinners before the kids, and just wasn't very touchy feely. I know she wanted something different for her kids, and she did her best to be affectionate and expressively loving towards us. I know it isn't always easy for her, but I did take her experiences to heart, and I try to hug, kiss, and tell Penny I love her daily.
My parents were also very conscious of eating habits - we were only "allowed" soda on Friday nights (which I found out later was really sparkling water), we had wheat bran pancakes on Saturday mornings, and the only cereal in the house was grape nuts (except for the rare occasion when my dad snuck in coco crispies). Dessert was only on occasional weekend nights. There were never any processed foods in the house. It's really shaped my eating habits and I try to follow that with Penny.
There were also some family "rituals" that I really enjoyed - Saturday morning cartoons, Friday night pizza and a movie, that sort of thing. We'll do that as she grows up as well.
And family dinner - this was a hard one for us, but we started eating at the table about 6 months ago, because we wanted P to grow up with that.
Oh yeah, and my parents were always very affectionate with each other - that's my goal to model for Penny.
It's funny, some of these things are really important for my DH as well - he grew up in a non-traditional household (his parents were divorced, his mom worked two jobs), so I think he cherishes the structure and family rituals we're creating because he DIDN'T have that growing up, where I cherish them because I did.
Dinner at the table every night with the occasional TV Dinner Fridays.
Church. I'll do the same as my parents (I need to get going on this since I don't currently attend) When I was young my parents made me go, but when I became older (teen) they let me make my own decisions on whether to go or not.
Attend and encourage all the activities and/or things he's into. I would like for him to play a sport as it taught me a lot of discipline and the need to practice something to be better. Though I will not force him to play if it's not his "thing".
My mom coached amy softball team for 2 years. I will do that if I can - big city versus little town changes the need for coaches.
She let me try any ctivity I wanted and her only rule was that I had to finish my period of obligation (season, show, etc). I will do the same for L. Also, summer camp. She shipped me off to sleep away camp every summer to have someone else watch me, but I actully really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I will most likely send L to the same camp in NJ.
Kid #1 - 09/03/12
Kid #2 - maybe???
Diagnosed with Severe Ashermans Hysteroscopy #10 - scar tissue grew back reblocking my right tube #11 or IVF with scarring still inside? 1 lone embryo from September 2016 retreival, dx with Trisomy 16, starting fresh
My mom and I have a very close relationship, we did a lot together growing up. From little things like just going for a walk together to traveling all over the country/world together. Just spending time together and being present is the biggest thing I learned from my mom that I hope to do with my kids.
My dad was at every event in my life. I don't know how he did it, but he always scheduled in my softball games, cheer competitions, even chaperoning school field trips. It was often him and all the stay at home moms at events. Both my parents worked so it was really cool that he was able to be at so much. From him I learned that family comes first, and while it may not always be possible I will try my hardest to be there for things like this once I've gone back to work, big and small.
There are lots of little things: evening walks, movie nights, fort building, Saturday morning cartoons in parents bed, watching shooting stars out on the dock, telling stories. All those happy and timeless childhood memories oh and growing a garden.
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As stated in the parenting thread, I plan on punishing the same. I also plan on attending all of their sporting events/theater events/whatever events they want to be involved in. Even though I hated it at the time, looking back now I love that my parents came to all of my swim meets, plays, performances, etc.
I also plan on being "mean" and making them play a musical instrument, at least for a year.
Other traditions/things I want to continue with them:
-lamb butter & lamb cake for Easter
-lighting the Advent wreath & Menorah at Christmas time (my parents humored me and got me a Menorah when I decided I wanted to be Jewish. :-) )
-Going up north to "God's Country" as my DH calls it...we had a cabin there when I was little and have spent a lot of time there throughout my life.
-Reading books together everyday
-Meals together at the table
I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting, but those are the biggest ones that stick out to me.
Would this be the UP? That's what many call it up here.
There are so many things my parents did right. We took at least 1 vacation every year to somewhere new. The nontraditional in the sense that it was more like Mount Rushmore or Sandusky, OH while all my friends were in Florida. I can appreciate that they wanted us to learn and explore. Camping is another huge thing. We camped all the time. Now we have the camper my parents used and we plan on bringing LO this summer. Attending all of the sporting, extra cirricular activities. They never missed a softball or hockey game, band concert or track meet. They were seriously our biggest cheerleaders and still are.
My mom used to crank up music really loud on a Saturday morning after she had her coffee and clean house. It was so fun. She would dance around and sing. Still does.
YES, and I do this!
And if you haven't gotten LO a music set (tambourine, maracas, etc), you should get some! We all march around the island with blasting music and she thinks it's amazing.
We went to the library a lot with my mom. We take E often and we fill up our rooms with books and magazines. He loves the library and I hope to keep that going.
Family dinners at the table was a big one.
When we were younger, my dad used to play this game with those cookies that have three M&Ms on them. He would deal them upside down. Everyone got two. We would flip and if you had three M&Ms of the same color on a cookie, you got an extra one. We didn't have treats every day, so this was really exciting and special. When we decide to give E cookies, we will probably play this.
My father is not my bio - he adopted me when I was 4 when my parents got married. He is the best thing my mother ever gave me. He is the best father, and now grandfather on the planet and I love him more than he will ever know. He played games with me every night when my mom worked retail at night and I love the memories and I play games with DS every night now and we talk about the games I used to play with "Papa"
My parents also gave me a stable loving home generally speaking since they are still happily married. They always wanted me to have better than they did and supported my involvement in things like Dance, Theater, etc.
My mom always used big words. It was so frustrating. But now I'm thinking......... damn that's smart.
When my brother was 3, he was potty-trained. He told my grandma, "Grandma, I need to defecate". She thought, "Yup, that's Tom's kid alright" (Tom is my Dad)
By the time I was 7, I was using the term "Facetious" on a regular basis.
Total dork kids. Hahaha
Love it. DH teaches DS "big words" all the time and DS uses "undermine" frequently now, ha!
tinyhumantoe
member
Re: Our parents' home runs
I have so many memories of my dad playing with me and my brother. Not just being around when we were playing but actually throwing the ball, running around, crawling on the floor, playing with us. I already try to give my kids my full attention (the cell phone makes it hard) but I want to play games with them and really have fun together.
My parents also instilled great values about money. We were taught about money and its value from an early age. Even though we joked, still do, about my dad and his cheapness, they really taught us to appreciate what we have and to take care of things.
Meals at the dinner table.
The rest are more experiences/traditions:
Camping and boating.
Sending LO to summer camp.
The occasional TV dinner Friday.
I'm not sure if I agree with any of their discipline strategies now that I think about it. I did get my door removed because I was a door slammer. That was a good idea.
Going to all of their games or plays, whatever they do.
Nancy James 9.1.12
Calvin Donald 8.27.14
Dexter 08/31/2012~Summer 07/25/2011~Jack 10/21/2008~Aaron 08/12/2007
And music was always playing in our house. I definitely do that as well. I throw in dance parties too, my parents weren't dancers but they did love music.
Emma Rose - 9.14.05 Beckett - 5.26.07 Sawyer - 9.22.12 Lennon Mae - 9.26.14
My mom had a very distant/traditional relationship with her father - the first time he told her he loved her was when she was 18. He ate dinners before the kids, and just wasn't very touchy feely. I know she wanted something different for her kids, and she did her best to be affectionate and expressively loving towards us. I know it isn't always easy for her, but I did take her experiences to heart, and I try to hug, kiss, and tell Penny I love her daily.
My parents were also very conscious of eating habits - we were only "allowed" soda on Friday nights (which I found out later was really sparkling water), we had wheat bran pancakes on Saturday mornings, and the only cereal in the house was grape nuts (except for the rare occasion when my dad snuck in coco crispies). Dessert was only on occasional weekend nights. There were never any processed foods in the house. It's really shaped my eating habits and I try to follow that with Penny.
There were also some family "rituals" that I really enjoyed - Saturday morning cartoons, Friday night pizza and a movie, that sort of thing. We'll do that as she grows up as well.
And family dinner - this was a hard one for us, but we started eating at the table about 6 months ago, because we wanted P to grow up with that.
Oh yeah, and my parents were always very affectionate with each other - that's my goal to model for Penny.
It's funny, some of these things are really important for my DH as well - he grew up in a non-traditional household (his parents were divorced, his mom worked two jobs), so I think he cherishes the structure and family rituals we're creating because he DIDN'T have that growing up, where I cherish them because I did.
My mom coached amy softball team for 2 years. I will do that if I can - big city versus little town changes the need for coaches.
She let me try any ctivity I wanted and her only rule was that I had to finish my period of obligation (season, show, etc). I will do the same for L. Also, summer camp. She shipped me off to sleep away camp every summer to have someone else watch me, but I actully really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I will most likely send L to the same camp in NJ.
Kid #1 - 09/03/12
Hysteroscopy #10 - scar tissue grew back reblocking my right tube
#11 or IVF with scarring still inside?
1 lone embryo from September 2016 retreival, dx with Trisomy 16, starting fresh
My dad was at every event in my life. I don't know how he did it, but he always scheduled in my softball games, cheer competitions, even chaperoning school field trips. It was often him and all the stay at home moms at events. Both my parents worked so it was really cool that he was able to be at so much. From him I learned that family comes first, and while it may not always be possible I will try my hardest to be there for things like this once I've gone back to work, big and small.
Would this be the UP? That's what many call it up here.
There are so many things my parents did right. We took at least 1 vacation every year to somewhere new. The nontraditional in the sense that it was more like Mount Rushmore or Sandusky, OH while all my friends were in Florida. I can appreciate that they wanted us to learn and explore. Camping is another huge thing. We camped all the time. Now we have the camper my parents used and we plan on bringing LO this summer. Attending all of the sporting, extra cirricular activities. They never missed a softball or hockey game, band concert or track meet. They were seriously our biggest cheerleaders and still are.
And if you haven't gotten LO a music set (tambourine, maracas, etc), you should get some! We all march around the island with blasting music and she thinks it's amazing.
Family dinners at the table was a big one.
When we were younger, my dad used to play this game with those cookies that have three M&Ms on them. He would deal them upside down. Everyone got two. We would flip and if you had three M&Ms of the same color on a cookie, you got an extra one. We didn't have treats every day, so this was really exciting and special. When we decide to give E cookies, we will probably play this.