I am not a writer.
What I *am* is a husband and a father to a three and a half year old little girl. These are the things in my life that I cannot change, and would not change for the world. But among the daily grind of my rush hour commute, full time job in real estate, and finding time to eat - I find myself giving the rest of my best self to my family. It was admittedly a struggle for me at first - losing part of myself to the ones I loved, but, as a welcome and most enjoyable realization, I have come to realize what a necessity daddy/daughter time is. My daughter and I refer to it as a “Special Daddy Day”. While, as adults, we tend to forget how valuable simply spending time with someone we love can be, our little ones can’t fathom any other scenario. They don’t understand the concept of having a job, or a budget - they simply measure things in time and love...and ice cream.
I thought it might be useful to include some of the activities that my daughter and I like to do on Special Daddy Days in the hopes that maybe it will be one less thing for you to think about next time you feel like you want to have some one-on-one time with your little one.
- Creek walking - Find a local creek, break out the rain boots, grab a net, and see what you can catch!
- Picnic in the park - Pick up or make whatever is your little one’s favorite food & drink, pack it up, and head for the park. Don’t forget the blanket! (And to make it even more fun, make it a surprise!)
- Matinee movies - Yes, sometimes it rains. Head over to a matinee and get cozy with some popcorn. Some local theaters will even do really cheap movies once a week during the summer.
- Local story times - Check out local family newsletters (ahem - Macaroni Kid,) or check your library’s website to see if there are any organized storytimes for kids.
- Fort building - The oldest (and best pastime.) Get out as many fitted sheets and pillows as you can find and keep building until you get lost!
- Mall walking - And if all else fails, there are bound to be good conversations starters at the mall. And perhaps you can grab a Special Daddy Day lunch while you’re at it.
