Motherhood Series | inspiring you to make the most of this window of our lives that has little people dwelling in our homes & hearts

When I sat down to write about encouraging adventure in your children, my first thought was that I’m not the right person for this post. I don’t know how to do it myself most days. Too tired. Too distracted. Too selfish. These are all just excuses. What is more important than engaging with your family?

This is part of the reason that we moved out to the country. We wanted to raise our children in a open, calm environment that encouraged adventure. Less distractions. More space to think.

When you look back in thirty years, will you wish you had done more things on your to do list or played another game with your child that now has children of their own? We all know the answer, but often take the first one because it fulfills our need to be productive, successful or we think there will always be more time.

What if there wasn’t more time? What if you just had one more day. What would you do with it?

So, I want you to run through this exercise with me. What do you want your children remember from their childhood? What memories do you want them to have of you? As an adult who now has children, I find myself reflecting back on my childhood and how my parents spent time with us. It’s not about the things they bought me, but the time they invested in me. Our kids don’t need new toys or that expensive sports team. They want you. The messy, imperfect, loving you. 

Also, I’m not saying they need you to play 24/7. We all know that other things have to be done eventually: work, laundry, dishes, meals, self care etc. And kids need quiet time. But, what if you focused on engaging with them for an entire hour each day? It could be 15 minute blocks throughout the day or one solid block of time.

Isn’t this why we all wanted a family? Sometimes I think we get so caught up in life that we aren’t truly living our lives with the most important people. Start by being mindful that they need you emotionally, just as much as they need you physically.

Tips for Encouraging Adventure in Your Children

1. It first starts with encouraging adventure in yourself. Not what you expected, huh? How can we expect our children to have the desire to explore and adventure if we aren’t willing to do so ourselves? Push all of the things you think you need to do out of your mind and go play with them. Unplug and engage.
2. Follow their cues. Kids know what they like. Riding bikes, playing in the sand, running through the sprinkler, looking for buried treasure, pretending they are mermaids. Whatever it is for your children, go with it!
3. Read them books. Books are adventures in and of themselves. They spark your child’s imagination to think beyond their four walls.
4. Let them watch shows that encourage their imagination and pretend play. My two favorites for our girls are Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Stella & Sam.
5. Plan one adventure each week with your children. This doesn’t have to be elaborate, but something that you do together. Park date, scavenger hunt, picking dandelions, creating a fort inside on rainy days, coloring a box like a rocket ship. As we enter the summer, this is the perfect time to cultivate the adventurer in your child and bring out the child in all of us.

Need to catch up on other posts in the Motherhood Series? Here you go:

Finding Time for You

Why You Need a Morning Routine

Social Media Overload: Stop Your Scroll