On Wednesday mornings, I try to do something special with my son before I take him to school: Give him a new maze to do; complete a worksheet; read a short book together. It's my way of spending those few extra moments with him that he wants and needs.
On Wednesdays, I have a standing lunch date with my husband. We only work a few blocks apart so we like to take advantage of our proximity. I look forward to that lunch all day: We trade texts over it; we never know where we want to eat; we try really hard to leave at the same time so we can have the maximum amount of time together. At our lunches, we talk about work and life and weekend plans and just sit and be with each other.
On Wednesday nights, our son picks dinner. This is a brilliant move on my part (which I am not humble about). Not only do I not have to decide dinner that night (which is one less decision I have to make and plan for), but he absolutely loves dictating what we eat for a change.
After dinner, our son goes to the games armoire, and we play Candy Land, Shoots and Ladders and Uno until it is his bedtime. (And we usually eat cookies, too.)
And it is fun, and heartwarming and perfect for us.
It is also really beneficial to our son. A recent study has reinforced all the other studies we've all seen about how spending quality time with family members fosters a child's social-emotional health from an early age. Well-developed social-emotional health leads to more confidence and more positive relationships with others.
Do I wish we could have this routine on more days? Yes. But with busy schedules and other things getting in the way, it doesn't look possible right now. So, I will hold onto my Wednesdays - they mean the world to me.
Do you have a family day/night in your household? What do you do together?
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