Simple routines without all the fuss

So it may be a wee bit too early to tell, I may in fact be jinxing the whole thing by calling any sort of attention to it, but if the events of the last few weekends are any indicator, I may very well be on to some sort of father-son tradition kind of thing with my oldest boy. Not that it has to be just father-son, mom can join in too, and she has. And when the newborn son isn't so new anymore, he can get in on the fun as well. But for the moment, it's just me and the eldest.

It's not a particularly complicated tradition or anything. It doesn't involve trekking out to the badlands with three days worth of beef jerky stored away in our horse's saddlebags. There's no ceremonial garb involved and no animals have to be sacrificed. Nope, it's really nothing more complicated than a little ride on the city bus. See, a few weekends ago, we introduced Henry, our oldest to the joys of the bus, and it was a match made in heaven. Perhaps it's the fact that he can be transported at high speeds without having to wear a carseat. Maybe it's the community aspect. Maybe it's just the joy of getting to ride in a REALLY BIG THING. Whatever it was, he loved it, and ever since then, we constantly hear about how "Hemmy wanna ride the bussss."

So for the last few weekends, I've scooped the little guy up and taken the bus down the road to the grocery store. But not just any grocery store, it's the one with *GASP* a playground right outside! Of course, ask any kid about this magical destination, and they'll refer to it as the playground with the *yawn* grocery store inside. Whatever it is, it's a place where the kiddos can burn off some energy so that they'll be nice and docile for the grocery-purchasing experience yet to come. Once the kiddo's had his fill of the playground, we buy whatever we need for dinner that night and then catch the bus back home. We disembark, wave goodbye to the bus, and walk home so Dad can get dinner started.

As we waved goodbye to the bus last weekend, the little guy said "that was fun Daddy." Of course, I swelled up with that "holy crap, I'm getting at least one piece of this Dad gig right" feeling.

"You liked that, little boy?"

"Hemmy wanna ride the bus some more."

"Maybe next weekend?"

"Yeah."

Sappy perhaps, but I'll take it.

So what about you? Got any routines that you enjoy with your kiddos?

Comments

[Ryan]

The grocery store trip is a sacred Daddy-son ritual with my oldest boy. We have a lot of fun there. We've also started a "road trip" tradition recently as I've begun taking him to children's religion classes out of town. He loves taking a long trip with Daddy.

My youngest son isn't old enough to start establishing traditions with yet, but he will be soon.

[Whit]

Our bus line only runs between Meth labs, so it's kind of anti-climatic.

We don't have any traditions yet, but you make me want to start some.

[Cole]

A couple other young dad's and I got into a routine last summer and early fall of taking the big kids (2 yrs and up) out to an early breakfast and then off to a local park to play every Saturday morning. The moms could rest at home, workout, whatever. Sometimes we'd hit the Waffle House, other times we'd pack cereal and milk. Not only was it great dad time, it scored serious points with the ladies back home. Once the weather gets nice again, we are saddling back up.

[chicago pop]

What an awesome way to promote public transportation.

I'm hoping we can get into kite flying on the beach when it gets nicer out.

[Jason]

Does the bedtime routine count? No? Then not yet, can't wait, though.

[Timothy]

Saturday morning is the trip to the donut store for a maple bar for mom.

I leave for work fairly early, so she knows if the sun is up and I'm still in the house, it must be Saturday and she wakes up and comes tearing down the hallway with a "Daddy's home!"

Oh, we also go out each evening to the chicken coop to collect eggs.

[Gunfighter]

"Going to get sub sandwhiches before we go to Brownie meetings every Tuesday.