By EK Wills
Many families are feeling the pinch at this time of year.
Christmas has eaten a hole in the budget and the family holiday only made it bigger. Or there have been so many April birthdays and gifts bought for them that you are left wondering what to do when Mother’s Day rolls around.
In our family, I have just celebrated my birthday (in April) and then Mother’s Day follows hot on it’s heels weeks later and I really don't need more gifts.
The other aspect to consider is that Mother’s Day is an opportunity to ensure your children set aside some quality family time. This is a day set aside in the calendar where they are officially not allowed to arrange outings with friends or if they have homework then it needs to be done the day before.
This is the perfect opportunity to arrange a family day.
Family day’s don't have to cost a fortune, either. By definition it just means setting time aside to be together but if you don’t get out of the house then those chores will niggle at you and the screens will lure the kids away.
Instead, tell the kids that you don’t want a card or a gift. These require more time spent without you and away from homework or friends.
Get the children to each come up with an idea for an activity if you can’t think of one.
Or consider one of these ideas below:
1.Take a trip on a ferry
We are lucky in that we live next to a ferry terminal that can take us up the Parramatta River or into the city (but that is where money gets spent).
Take a picnic and go to a park at another ferry stop for a change of scene.
If you travel on a Sunday, it is cheap public transport day and so for under $20 you have paid for the family.
2. Go to the beach
Pile the kids in the car or take public transport to the beach for the day. It doesn’t have to be swimming weather as you can play cricket, through a Frisbee or go for a walk. Bondi to Bronte is a popular choice or Cremorne to Manly but more remote walks are less crowded.
Then buy ice-creams to treat everyone and it costs only about $30 if everyone has gelatos (We have a family of five).
3. Pick a National Park
We are surrounded with parklands and walks within them. There is an annual membership fee for a vehicle to gain access of approximately $80 but if this is done on several occasions it brings the cost down. Otherwise there are day passes available at the gate.
Take a picnic to have after the walk.
4. Go for a bike ride
There are many bike paths and trails on offer, even for city dwellers. There are maps online from your local council that show the course and how long they take. If you have a car you can bundle everyone’s onto a bike rack and take your pick. If you live near the foreshore in Sydney or have a bike track in your area, then it is less logistically challenging. This costs nothing unless you stop for a treat on the way home.
Don't forget the helmets!
5. Do a home pamper session
A fun activity is to have a DIY home salon session.
Raid the refrigerator for yoghurt and cucumber or teabag masks. Make some bath salts with Epsom salts and your favourite aromatic oil, like lavender ( total cost approximately $10). Then do rounds of each giving shoulder rubs or foot massages to each other.
When your kids get a little older, they get better at it and while they’re younger, they think it’s really grown up!
6. Play in the backyard
If you really want to ensure a cost free day, then head no further than your backyard. Play activities already set up for the kids such as trampolines or basketball hoops will get you back to your childhood (and theirs). Or set up a new one like a skateboard ramp on the back step. If you have no space then make slime together (see pic above) or create a new train track run.
For working Mums this is the one that may well be the most rewarding.
7. Play board games in a binge session
If you have kids, you probably own a collection of board games. There may be favourites, ours is The Game of Life, as well as ones you haven’t looked at for a long time. Now is the time to sit down and pick one each, then play them all.
When you do, you’ll remember why they are so popular.
Enjoy your time together this Mother's Day.
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