At netlogx, we were encouraged to do something on our bucket list. With three kids and one on the way my bucket list has a lot of items with a wide span timeline that I hope to accomplish with both my husband and family. The top of those items, though, is to be more present in the moment and to do things out of our normal environment that make my kids smile and build memories. Why is it important for family time, laughing and how does a smile impact your day? See a few bullets below.
- Smiling can change brain awareness
- Smiling can make you happier and feel joy and or amusement
- Laughter can decrease stress hormones
- Laughter can increase immune cells and infection fighting antibodies
- Family time can build confidence and teach children how to interact with others
- Family time can help build lasting memories and connections with each other
So here we are on a cold rainy Sunday in February trying to pack up the kids to head out to Lucas Oil Stadium. What were we about to go watch? Monster Trucks. My 3-year old son had been talking it all day long and the night before. We were only able to get him to take a nap Sunday afternoon by saying once he woke up we were going to see the Monster Trucks. That was followed by lost of verbal noises of trucks and expressions of what the trucks would sound like.
What were my expectations of this event going to be? Not much other than lots of trucks, over priced concession stand food, how fast could we dart past the souvenirs before my kids noticed them and, oh no, we don’t have ear plugs for the kids…ehhh they will be fine.
Now its important for me to set the stage because its these things in life at the kids’ stage where we as parents think to ourselves, “What was I thinking?” Grandma headed over to watch our youngest Landon who is one. We didn’t think that he would quite enjoy the Monster Trucks and selfishly I don’t think we would have enjoyed taking him. So, off the four us went. Bobby, Venice, Malachy and myself. The kids were all cheesed up with excitement in the back of the car. We finally get downtown after a few detours because of a stuck train and dodge for the closest parking we could find. Well, its cash only (duh this is not our first rodeo headed to park downtown so not sure why in our minds we blocked that out). Frantically looking to scrounge up $10 to park by the stadium we were successful.
Out we were walking to the stadium. As I looked around me the sidewalks were filling with kids in snow boots, parents carrying kids trying to jump over the puddles and pot holes in the streets and even some parents double carrying their kids because one all of the sudden decided he couldn’t walk.
I must chuckle at myself with these scenarios because we have all been there. This stage in life. Sometimes it feels good to see others going through the same struggle as you on how to manage those pre-teens and toddlers.
You wouldn’t believe the crowd. It was packed. We walk in and the kids faces immediately went to big eyes and the biggest smiles I have seen since Christmas. This is why its all worth it. It was so loud even my husband Bobby and I couldn’t help but be pumped with adrenaline and smile. We all quickly rushed over to see the trucks. They were already competing and jumping over cars. It was so loud we could hardly hear the assistant explain to us where our seats where.
After about what felt like 15 minutes of trying to find our seats we were in them. Malachy was squealing with excitement and Venice was just glad to finally be sitting and able to watch the show. Remember she is in her pre-teen years.
We stayed for about two hours. We saw trucks roll over on their sides and get stuck, trucks stall, two-women truck drivers competing, a competition for how well they did on “two wheels” and of course trucks ramping it and smashing cars.
Was my bucket list item achieved? Absolutely. Those kids had a blast and I just added one more memory to their lives. For both them and I. Writing this blog made me smile and chuckle to myself.
Thanks, netlogx for helping with that experience.
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