Parenting Hack #2 - lemonluck

Hack #2: Everything Is More Exciting With A Scenery Change

18 months after the pandemic began in earnest in Michigan and we are back to 2020 rituals in a lot of ways. O’s daycare class had a positive COVID case as of 6 days ago, so he’s home quarantining as a “close contact.” This means we are spending the holiday weekend keeping to ourselves and hoping we have a(nother) negative test before J and A would theoretically resume school/childcare on Tuesday.

All this to say, I am revisiting old tricks to fill the hours without… you know, interaction with the outside world. Enter this parenting hack: change out the scenery of normal events (& add snacks) to make them an exciting, half-day event in & of themselves.

3 example applications:

Epic Walks. Grab a “snack pack” (a bag of assorted snacks that wouldn’t normally be found together – better still if you can have your kids assemble a pack themselves) & hit the road. Stroll, scoot, bike – just go, and set a meandering pace that incorporates a goal (mileage, a landmark, time before you turn back) or a game (I Spy, or Geocaching). Pro tip: make sure to bring a stroller in the event you need to lug your child’s bicycle back manually… see photo below.
Picnic Meals. This does not have to be over-thought. Sure, a picnic can be Bento-box-style, Instagram-worthy meals on the side of a vista. OR it can be burgers enjoyed on your driveway, Lunchables consumed overlooking the neighborhood retention pond, or McDonald’s eaten from the comfort of your submarine — I’m sorry, your SUV’s trunk that turns into a submarine just for the duration of the meal.

*Drumroll for the fan favorite change of scenery:*
Drive Out Movies. This is, proudly, an event I invented after I realized the pandemic-friendly “drive in” movies started too late for my kids’ bedtimes. Our Drive Out Movie nights involve me downloading a movie to my phone, packing the boys bags of popcorn and treats, and watching the movie in the front seat of the car, parked in our own driveway. Could we watch the movie in our house on a much larger screen? Yes. Could we eat the snacks with much easier access to refills (& much less concern about crumbs) in our own living room? Yes. Could we be much more comfortably situated on a couch vs crammed with me in the driver’s seat and the two older boys sharing the passenger seat? Yes. But you better believe those Drive Out Movie nights are infinitely more memorable than regular movie nights due to novelty alone.

Chowing down and making bets on what color car would pass by next.
We got more than a few comments from other trail walkers as we had both a tricycle and bicycle loaded on the stroller over O’s “rumble seat,” had J riding on D’s shoulders, and me carrying Scooch.
It took >1 hour to walk .5 miles to the pond, and longer to get home. A great investment on a day otherwise in desperate need of not being cooped up at home again.