Giving New Meaning to Parenting

Have you noticed? It’s February. If there’s any one month of the year that I do not enjoy, this is the one. Here in Michigan the novelty of winter and snow has long since worn off, and the routine gloom does not inspire me to cheerfulness most days. What should be the shortest month of the year usually winds up feeling like the longest.

Rather than pout my way through the month I’m trying out something new: do something every day this month to brighten life up a little. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

1. Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time and say hello.
2. Get out the crayons and draw a colorful picture.
3. Declare family game night.
4. Snowball fight!
5. Go to the library and check out a new book.
6. Bake cookies and give some to your neighbor.
7. Go skiing.
8. Spend a day in your pajamas*.
9. Pop some popcorn and have a family movie night.
10. Shovel someone’s driveway as a surprise.
11. Go sledding.
12. Find a new dessert recipe and make it.
13. Paint a picture.
14. Build a snowman.
15. Make a PlayDough creation with the kids.
16. Have a tea party.
17. Go out and make snow angels.
18. Feed the birds.
19. Blow bubbles.
20. Plant a seed.
21. Read a comic book.
22. Say “thank you” to someone.
23. Go out on a date.
24. Let your kids have a sleepover.
25. Go to a sporting event.
26. Tell silly jokes.
27. Hug your family.
28. Make homemade pizza.

*Probably better to do this on a non-work day…unless you have a very understanding boss.

What have I missed? Any good ideas on ways to brighten the days?

by AmyL

Photo graciously provided by tamaki, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved