Activities Parenting

Father & Son Activities: 8 Ways to Bond With Your Son

Raising boys can be difficult at the best of times. With generations constantly changing, it can be difficult to keep up with your son’s life as he enters a world you’re unfamiliar with. Whether we intend to or not, as your child develops, soon we’ll be the dinosaurs that need our kids to help with new and complicated tech. This is sadly just a fact of life and unfortunately can end up putting a strain on you and your son’s relationship. So, how can you make sure you maintain a healthy relationship with your son? Well, here’s a list of 8 activities perfect for father and son bonding.

Movies

The best way to bond is to find common ground with your son. Ask him about movies he likes and then maybe suggest watching some with him. It’ll reassure him that you’re interested in his life and it will also potentially help you learn things you may not have realised about your son’s personality. It may also be worth suggesting a father and son cinema trip to help you both get outside of the house. Who knows, it may end up becoming a regular thing.

Video Games

As long as you’re prepared for him to likely be far better than you, then another great way to bond with your son is by playing video games with him. Most boys nowadays spend a crazy amount of time on their consoles, what better opportunity to spend some quality time with him than by getting involved in one of his favourite hobbies. Find out his favourite games and if any of them happen to be multiplayer then you’re in luck. If you’ve never played a video game, it’s probably best to get some practice in before you suggest a game – it may end up frustrating for both of you if he has to spend his time trying to teach you how to play.

Fishing

A very popular father/son activity, but for good reason. It will remind him that you still have plenty of things to teach him. There’s still probably a lot more you can learn about fishing as well. Like, did you know you can get special fishing reels for catching bass? As long as you remain patient, fishing can be a calming activity for both of you and it’s always good for both of you to reconnect with nature. Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet and show your son there are more ways to enjoy yourself. Plus, actually catching something would be a bonus as well.

Cooking

Something we could all improve is our cooking skills. Try making some meals or even try your hand at baking with your son. It’s a great activity as there is room for error from both of you and requires you both to work as a team. Teaching him to cook will definitely benefit him in the future and you’ll also (after some trial and error) get some delicious meals out of it.

Sports

Whether watching or playing, there are so many different sports out there that there simply has to be one that you and your son can bond over. You could introduce him to your favourite sports team and take him to games as well as a treat. If you’re wanting to improve you and your son’s fitness then there are plenty of sports you can play in your backyard. Just be prepared to be a bit slower than you remember. Remember, you both have things to learn from each other.

DIY Projects

If you have some work to do around the house, then why not ask your son for some help? An extra hand will make sure you get those jobs done quicker. Anything from painting the walls or fixing up the car to building some furniture, there’s plenty of benefits for both of you by working together. Plus, by teaching him and letting him help, you’ll be giving him invaluable life skills as well. Boys always like to be right and can get frustrated when things don’t work out the way they intended. Be sure to keep your cool and reassure your son if he seems to be getting frustrated. Remind him that IKEA furniture is a challenge for everyone. There’s no harm in getting confused.

Ice Cream

If you’re looking for an activity that’s both sweet and simple (pun intended), then look no further. You don’t need to do anything fancy to bond with your son. Even just taking him to get some of his favourite ice-cream will help improve your relationship. It also works as a great reward after doing some of the other slightly more strenuous bonding activities from earlier like DIY or fishing. You never know, you might even find him feeling more comfortable with opening up to you.

Help them with homework

A bane of every kids’ existence, keeping on top of homework can be a difficult task. An excellent way to bond with your son is by helping him with more academic challenges like homework. Kids sometimes have trouble asking their teachers if they’re confused, so it could be beneficial for him to be able to ask you. Just make sure he doesn’t trick you into doing it for him. The most beneficial thing you can do is clear up his confusion so he can solve the problems for himself. This may require some refamiliarizing from you, but he’ll surely appreciate it.

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Parenting

3 New Games Your Kids Will Love

Whether we like it or not, kids these days love their video games. Whether on a console, PC or on their mobile, there are an unbelievable amount of games for your kids to choose from. From FPS (First Person Shooter) games, all the way to roll playing strategy games, it’s a world that many of us are very unfamiliar with. It can be impossible to keep up with what kids are playing as it seems to be constantly changing. It can also be difficult to make sure your kids are staying safe if they’re playing online or if they’re playing content that may be a bit too mature for them. Well, fear not parents and guardians, here are 3 new parent-friendly games that we’re sure your kids will love.

Dreams

A new release exclusive to PS4 consoles, Dreams has been regarded as a breakthrough in modern gaming technology. From the creators of Little Big Planet, Dreams combines the traditional elements of gaming with playable levels and a progressing storyline with the opportunity to learn how to create and develop your own games. It’s an excellent opportunity for your child to use their imagination and you never know, this could even be the beginning of a career in game design or development.

Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross

A PC game rapidly growing in popularity, SDS is a cinematic role-playing game (RPG) based off of the Seven Deadly Sins anime. Absolutely filled with interesting characters, fun visuals and hours of gameplay, this is a great example of a game with a massive community of players. A great opportunity for your kids to make new friends. Online gaming may sound daunting, but rest assured, sdsgc is totally safe for your kids! Your kids will be free to explore a beautifully designed 3D world and will be swept up in an exciting adventure full of challenges.

Animal Crossing: New Horizon

A long-awaited game for many adults, there has never been a better time to introduce your child to the wonderful world of Animal Crossing. New to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite, Animal Crossing: New Horizons sees your character make their home on an island run by the ever-wonderful Tom Nook. The game offers a totally inoffensive world in which your child will be free to explore. With the opportunity to catch a wild variety of fish and bugs and also to dig up fossils, the game also offers an excellent opportunity for your child to learn more about the world around them.

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Parenting

The Most Important Parenting Philosophies of the 21st Century

Parenting is considered by many to be one of the most important life challenges that are out there, but with so many of us looking to services like online forums and parenting advice meetings for help it is a subject that is often questioned. The fact that so many of us are looking for help shows just how important it is to us, with high demand there has been a boost in the amount of advice services that are out there so it can be hard to know who to trust and nobody needs to see a bunch of inspirational quotes about life. Here is a list of the six best parenting philosophies of the 21st century to advise you on your parenting journeys.

 

  1. FUN !

Remembering to have fun is extremely important when it comes to parenting, when a family is laughing the household just seems so much more relaxed. It can be easy to slip into a dreadful mood as it is no secret that parenting is a stressful task. It can be easy to get into a rut of focusing on the negatives and forgetting about the rewards that come with bringing up a child, I would say the way to rectify this would be having fun with your family !

  1. Cleanliness

Something a little less enjoyable but equally as important would have to be remembering to keep clean, particularly when bringing up the younger children there is a lot of mess that comes with it so it is important to do your best to keep on top of it. Now I know that this is easier said than done but making simple changes such as using disposable bibs, nappies and wet wipes can help with convenience as you can simply throw them away when they get dirty.

  1. Family

Another important factor to remember when starting your parenting journeys would have to be to keep your family close. It can be so easy to want to shut out the world and relish in bringing up this little life especially when they are little babies but trust me, you’re going to want your family on hand to help out when you are in need of a break because no matter what you say that time will come. It is normal for your family to want to be involved and I think it is a blessing that you should take.

  1. Organised structure

Keeping organised is an important factor in parenting as it retains a solid structure for your child whilst also saving your sanity. A good structure is essential for raising a child as they like a safe routine and it helps with keeping an easy life for yourself too which are both great positives. Deviation from routines may not go down too well with your child and you may be likely to see acting out behaviour from them, this is why it is so important to have an organised structure.

  1. Have a break

Another philosophy to bear in mind with your parenting technique would be to remember to take the time for yourself, have a break, take every little ten minutes you can. Although you have a big responsibility to your child as a parent, you also have  a responsibility to take care of yourself and maintain your own mental health. When your child naps you should also be asleep, of course your sleep schedule is going to suffer but that comes with the job I’m afraid and the night feeds will be less daunting if you are well rested.

  1. Remember your partner.

Something else to remember would be (and of course everyone is in different circumstances so this doesn’t apply to everyone) your partners. Now I’m not saying that this is easy but it is important to remember the other relationships that you are in whether that be husbands, wives or partners whatever your feeling it is more than likely that your partner knows exactly what you are feeling. It is important to not only be a parent but also be the spouse that you were before parenthood, take the time to maintain that relationship we all put so much work into.

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