My Kids Are Dreamers

My kids come up with the craziest shenanigans imaginable! They are dreamers- they live by the rules of Shel Silverstein and they believe the unattainable is not only possible but probable. I encourage that and I wish that for your children as well.

I spend my time searching for activities to cultivate the "I can" attitude in my children. Rather that be an ability to use tools safely in their quest to become a carpenter (Kids workshop information), buying a $3 children's cookbook so that my 8 year old can live out her Chopped fantasy (try your local library first or the Salvation Army generally has books for less than $1), or letting my oldest daughter commune with nature in her quest to save every animal on the endangered list; I am going to do my best to make it all happen. That's the reason I started this little blog. So we find ourselves here- listening to me ramble about how wonderful local events are and suggesting activities that will make our children grow into the adults we wish we were, while, hopefully, keeping them children just a minute longer. It's a balancing act. 

Why aren't you out exploring our national parks?! We spent a day, last week exploring Joshua Tree National Park, in southern California, and my children still haven't stopped raving about climbing rocks and "Dr. Seuss trees!" If you have a fourth grader then you have until August of 2017 to get a free pass for your entire family. I know I have talked about national parks before but I don't think enough of you are listening! I saw very few children at the park with us that day.... and it was spring break! No excuses! I have some day trip blogs for national parks in the works, as I know they can be a little intimidating with their sheer size. Google is your friend and there are tons of bloggers just like me who have wonderful ideas and day plans for you to follow! I did my research and I saw photos of the Joshua Trees. We read Dr. Seuss's the Lorax while we ate our picnic lunch (though, in our family, Seuss is law and we can all recite the most important passages from this story. "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues,"). Teach your children about conservation. 'Environmentalist' is not a dirty word. If you don't live near a national park, your child can still become a Junior Ranger and learn about our world HERE. There are free resources and printable workbooks available for you!

Maybe you're indoor folks... that's cool too! I live in Central Florida and it's getting to be that time of year when stepping out my front door means melting. The television is not your child's enemy. My 7 year old is a little outside the target demographic for Julie Andrews' new Netflix endeavor but she loves it! Loves it! If you aren't a Netflix subscriber there is a free month waiting for you HERE (maybe save that free month for this summer- or wait until late fall/winter depending on where you live). She is inspiring another generation of kids to get interested in the arts.

I guess the moral of my story today is to talk to your kids. What do they want to be when they grow up? Let them dream!! My littlest monster has told us for years that she wants to be a Blue Angel. We've taken her to several airshows and toured countless military museums. My middle daughter wants to play Olympic level soccer. We put her on our local youth league team- she has to start somewhere! My oldest wants to be an actress. A week of summer day camp at our local children's theatre for her! Some of this stuff is costly, some of it's free. For summer camps and local clubs, I always look into scholarship assistance. The scholarships are offered for a reason and if you qualify don't be ashamed to apply. Most summer programs offer payment plans as well- start looking into these programs now! The earlier you plan, the longer you have to figure out the money. I know my blogs have been pretty spaced out but I am out there living! So go! Have an adventure!