My husband usually works on Sunday, and this week took a rare day off for no reason but to spend time together as a family.  I didn’t have enough advance notice to plan any nice Sunday outings, which I was disappointed I couldn’t do.  But last night, my 12 and almost 10 year olds sat down with my dh and together they planned the schedule for today.  Since it’s my husband’s day off, it seemed appropriate for him to decide how he wanted to spend it, since the rest of us get to make this choice every day.

They started off with davening, learning, and breakfast.  They decided they’d like to include saying a chapter of tehillim (Psalms) at each meal for the soldiers in Israel, so one child said it several words at a time, and everyone repeated after them.  They also are doing some additional learning for the soldiers at each meal, as a war needs spiritual as well as physical support.  Then the kids said they wanted to make the house spotless so they’d feel relaxed!  That was just fine with me!  Then, they planned to watch a video from the library.  We usually watch a family video about once a month, but usually do it when my husband isn’t home.  Because he has so little time with everyone, he doesn’t like to spend it watching a video, so today was unusual in that he had the time to relax with everyone and was willing to use some of his time for a video with the kids.

After that they scheduled a break, and three kids took a fifteen minute jog with him.  They then planned to have lunch, and decided they wanted to have fruit, nuts, and popcorn for lunch.  And then another video in the afternoon, while they ate lunch.  (I never allowed anyone to eat in that area of the house before, but my dh didn’t realize that – I wouldn’t have allowed it if it was up to me, but I wasn’t going to rain on their parade after their plans were made, either.)  I didn’t really want to watch two videos in a day and would have preferred to take everyone to an art museum that has special activities on Sundays for kids (which I can never do since dh takes our only vehicle to work), but this was the schedule they made and they were all happy with it.  🙂 

Then a special ‘camping out’ dinner and nighttime together – this included a camping menu of hot dogs and hamburgers with buns for dinner, something we don’t usually eat except for when we go camping.  We ate dinner by the light of an oil lamp, and then for dessert the kids roasted marshmallows over the gas flame of the stove.  About three years ago, we had a indoor camp out with the kids that they loved, and we set up our eight person tent inside the living room for everyone to sleep in that night.  They wanted to partially recreate that tonight.  We felt the tent would be a too tight to comfortably fit in where we’re living now, so instead everyone is camping out on the living room floor together – a few of the kids brought their mattresses down, and now the floor is solidly covered with bodies.  🙂

After dinner I went out, and they planned another activity together.  The kids still aren’t asleep, and it’s after 10:30, so it’s fair to say that they didn’t wind down as they usually did!  But they all had a lot of fun.  All in all, it was a relaxing day for everyone to spend together, and everyone enjoyed having their daddy home all day with them! 

My  husband said that something he’s very aware of is enjoying our children right now, at the stage they’re at.  Too many fathers get caught up in the busyness of making a living, and it’s not until they have grandchildren that they enjoy the fun of young children.  Childhood is so short, and you’re building relationships and making memories all the time, so make them good ones!

Avivah