Give Thanks for Family
Robert Nickell
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and spending time
with family. Sometimes it can be difficult to get your kids involved and
excited about this meaningful day with food, family, football and fun, so take
a bit of advice from me, Mr. Daddy, and get your kids gobbling like turkeys –
or involved in the festivities nonetheless.
Here are a few good ways to get your little pumpkins – or
turkeys – involved.
Make Name Cards:
Set your children up with a craft station complete with paper, pens, glitter,
leaves and various other items and ask them to create several masterpieces.
When these are complete, together, you can write the guest’s names on each
piece of art and use your prodigy’s skills to adorn your Thanksgiving table.
Your guests will love it, and your child will no doubt feel extra special and
proud for getting to participate with this project.
Help Cook: Getting
kids in the kitchen early on is excellent. While learning to cook, they are
able to work on many skills such as reading, following directions, measuring,
safety and teamwork. Make sure you help your child with every step of the
process; you’ll love working together and enjoying a bit of quality time while bonding
and cooking.
Dramatize: As
every child is unique, different activities will be more appealing than others.
In my family, some of the kids liked to create skits they would perform either
before or after dinner. Allow your children to get together with a costume box
and go to town creating a skit that involves everyone who wants to participate
and is engaging for others to watch. Go ahead and check in on them every once
in a while, but let them be creative in planning a skit to act out in front of
the whole family. In my experience, the kids get a little silly and the adults enjoy
seeing them having fun.
Playtime: Not
everyone is needed in the kitchen all day long. Take advantage of the beautiful
weather (if you have some) and throw the football around, go for a bike ride,
take the dog for a walk or play a board game together. There’s no better way to
spend Thanksgiving than enjoying your friends and family and watching everyone
smile and laugh together.
Be Productive:
Why not kill two birds with one stone? (so to speak!). Give your children a
task. They could be in charge of welcoming guests inside and taking their
coats, making sure everyone has a glass of hot apple cider or a tasty
H’orderve. Whatever the task may be, make sure your child knows you’re
confident in their abilities and you appreciate their help; it will teach them
responsibility and kindness.
There are plenty of ways to spend quality family time
together on Thanksgiving while getting your children involved in the day and
it’s festivities. We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving from the entire DaddyScrubs
Team.
Sincerely,
Mr. Daddy