Okay parents. We have all had those days when we plan an outdoor activity that is scheduled perfectly from start to finish. You know the one? The playground playdate or the parent and kid meet-up at the local outdoor ice cream parlor…and then …snow or thunder or scary winds. Now what? I find that parenting requires us to be able to be flexible and swift at coming up with substitute ideas when weather decides not to behave. If your toddler is anything like mine…than you know that a child can look forward to a planned schedule especially one that has fun built into it. So I thought this post would cover what to do when plans fall through. First off our focus usually includes a social emotional aspect and we look at mental health and the importance of paying attention to wellness both for our kids and for ourselves. Here are a few ideas to have prepared so that we stay mentally healthy and still keep our promises to our kids and have fun.
My idea is a just in case box. Be sure that you and your child decorate it together as an activity. Grab slips of paper and write or draw fun activities that don’t depend on the weather on the slips and add them into the box or basket. Maybe an impromptu pizza party, indoor art day, or stop by
123child.com and check out their fun ideas. It doesn’t mater but whatever adventure you and your child(ren) choose, make it fun. The point of doing this in advance and together does a couple of things. It makes it an activity that creates anticipation and fun for both you and your family and it also gives your young people a warning that they may have to regroup sometime in the future and it gives them an emotional heads up.
When we talk about character building this shows children that they can plan in advance, they can choose activities that make them happy, they can be creative and they can always prepare for the future and not lose out on fun. Parents for us not only does it give us a great teachable moment with our kids but it also prevents melt-downs. Have fun!
