I have been amazed at how some of the seemingly "little" things have made such a huge difference to the girls. Over the past week, I have had more time to spend with the girls, and here are seven things we did together that made my life better, and I think made them happy as well. If you aren't already doing these things, try them. You'll be surprised what an impact they have.
1. Played a board game, Sorry - We just bought this game a few weeks ago, and the girls love playing it. I amazes me to see how quickly they have learned how to play it, and they have even learned some of the strategy behind it. I have also gotten the opportunity to show them that they won't always win. I think I have been too quick to let them win in the past, and they need to learn that things won't always work like that. I was happy to see that they didn't take the losing too badly.
2. Went to see a movie, Kung Fu Panda - Just watching them laugh and smile during the movie made it all worth it. They both really enjoyed the movie, and they couldn't stop talking about it. When we got home, they decided they needed to practice their "karate" on me, so I was able to play a human punching/kicking bag. I also found myself on iTunes downloading the song Kung Fu Fighting which led to more fun we had together.
Ways to save at the movies.
3. Danced together - Yes, we danced to Kung Fu Fighting, but that wasn't the best dance we had last week. During their recital for their dance class, we danced together during the father/daughter dance. Their dad danced too, and we switched girls midway through the performance. Through lifts, spins, and hugs, we had a blast! From what I am told, the girls were all smiles throughout the entire dance, so I can't wait to see the video.
4. We sang - Perhaps more than anything else, the girls enjoy music. They will sing and perform for us at the drop of a hat. Last week, we sang together. They don't always let me sing with them (yes, my voice is THAT bad), but we sang 4 Minutes together. I was so bad, especially during the Madonna parts of the song, that we couldn't help but laugh.
5. We played outside - I was always outside playing when I was a kid, but I have found I spend less and less time outdoors as the years go by. It was great to go out and watch them ride bikes, jump rope, color on the driveway with chalk, and just run around chasing each other. Whenever they finished one of their drawings, they brought me over to show me what it was. My favorite was the "Ultimated Fan".
6. We worked on "sight" words and counting - I had index cards of words that they need to learn, and as they tried to go down their slide, I made them tell me what the word was before they were allowed to go down. To them, it was a game. They had no idea they were actually learning something. We then had contests of counting by twos, fives, and tens. It was great way to change how they were learning.
7. When I put them to bed, I told them how wonderful and beautiful they are - When I lean over to kiss them goodnight, I whisper in their ears that I love them, that they are beautiful, that they are so talented, and how much I love to watch them dance and listen to them sing. As I say these things, I can see them smile, and I can tell that it means the world to them. This means the world to me!
It didn't take a lot of time or effort, but by doing these few things, my life was better. I also think that the difference it made to them was great, and at the end of the day, that is what it is all about.
