Little Kids and the Holidays

I've spent the last several days with my extended family which includes lots of little kids and they never cease to remind me of the wonders of the world. Here are some takeaways from the wisest people in our family:

1. Embrace the Day!

These kids get up early and are ready to take on the day! The early morning allows them to start playing games by 6:00 am, but they are always open to me getting a cup of coffee first. These kids are up and dressed at the crack of dawn or sometimes before, and they can't fathom that activities and stores don't open for hours. Oh, to have that daily enthusiasm.

2. Games bring families together

I keep a stash of games for the kids when they visit and they love them all, but this year, Connect 4 took on a special significance. My brother organized a Connect4 tournament, and the kids were all in --- cheering each other on, laughing when one of the adults got beat and sometimes getting frustrated when victory was hard to grasp. I declare that Connect 4 is the inside version of miniature golf. Miniature golf is a game that all ages and interests can play and have fun and Connect 4 is the same! We had a double elimination format and eight-year-old Brody took home the win out of the whole group. This is a new family tradition, and we will all be sharpening our strategies for a Christmas competition.

3. Don't Discount a Day at the Park

   
   

   I admit that when my kids were little, I was more likely to take them to the bookstore, the mall or a movie theater than I was to take them to the park, but my brother's family has shown me that a day at the park is under rated at my house. They have a whole system with a bag full of balls, frisbees, jump ropes, chalk and drinks and those kids ran around for almost two hours. They made up all kinds of games and were content on their own or playing together. Plus, they made friends at the park who joined in the mayhem. I apologized to my kids after the park outing ---- I think we missed out!

   
   

4. There's a Reason for Traditions

   
   

   The picture above is of my mom and her great-grandkids --- we always end the Thanksgiving weekend by going over to her house and decorating her tree before everyone departs. All the kids count on this tradition, and they love to see their faces on the ornaments and to do the activity together. Now, granted that sometimes there can be a dozen ornaments on one branch that just happens to be at the eye level of a three-year-old, but who cares? My mom loves it, and it is a great memory for the whole family!

   
   

5. Relax and Just Go with It

   
   

   Admittedly, I am not the most relaxed host and tend to do a timeline and meal plan for the days they kids are in town. But over the years, I have learned to just relax and go with it. Sure, the house is a disaster with kid stuff all over the place, and yes, I will dole out a minimum of 100 snacks by lunch, but they are so fun and eager to have fun, it has taught me to just relax and focus on the fun and not the worries of keeping a timeline or pulling the house together. I was a lot more uptight when I had little ones, but because my time with them is always brief, it is so much more enjoyable to embrace the chaos of the day and worry about the rest later.

   
   

   As leaders, we can try to be over prepared and overly productive in our day to day lives but having kids who just want to play games all day is a great way to get perspective on our work world. It's just a part of who we are and how we spend our precious time. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!