Remember how much fun it was to get pumpkins and make jack-o-lanterns with your kids when they were young? Well, it can still be an enjoyable family activity with your teenager if you do a little planning and have a little consideration for your teen’s sensibilities and schedule. Here’s how. Find a local pumpkin patch. Purchasing a pumpkin at your …
Canoeing Down a Lazy River
Canoeing is a great way to spend quality time while engaging in an activity that doesn’t involve passively sitting in front of some sort of electronic device or standing over your kids while they do chores. But with all good parenting decisions, there are some secret objectives. Canoeing is one way to: Create a “time apart” with your kids Benefit …
Family Picnic in the Park
Picnics are an ideal way to spend some family time together during the high days of summer. Just look at this happy family in the picture above! The beauty of a picnic is it can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish to make it. There can be something for everyone since you and your kids can read, …
Fall Creek Falls
You know how I am about suggesting families get out of the house and do something together that has the lowest probability of conflict and the highest probability of something memorable (meaning enjoyable) happening. Nature is perfect for this kind of thing. Day trips to public areas are affordable on even the most limited budgets. Just got back from spending …
Family Day Trips and Tennessee’s Fiery Gizzard
I just got back from a weekend spent in Monteagle, Tennessee. Monteagle is a town located on the top (elev. 1923 ft) of the Cumberland plateau in middle Tennessee. It is a great little college town (home to Sewannee, The University of the South, an excellent small, private, Episcopal university). Right outside of town is one of the trail heads …