Hey Taylor - Spending tons more time with my kids while we stay away from the crowds and summer camps. I’m loving every second of it but running out of ideas for entertainment and don’t want to watch TV all day. Got any tips for an overwhelmed father of two? - Justin
Hey Justin - Shout out to all the moms and full-time parents, because entertaining your kids all day, every day is no easy task. We’ve picked up a trick or two over the years to make sure everyone stays happy when leaving the house isn’t an option.
Dig into the backs of the cabinets. If your kids are young enough, the sight of a new toy or Tupperware container might be enough. Head to the garage, the pantry, or the basement and find the funkiest old container or contraption you can. I once took the wheels off an old, broken stroller and taped a few of them together, which led to hours of rolling entertainment and didn’t cost me a dime. If you can get just a little bit creative, you might surprise yourself and make something out of nothing.
Play creative games. For kids a little older, you might be able to get away with having them do the thinking. Get a piece of cardboard and some pens and have them invent a board game, or turn the living room into a jungle with different habitats identified for the different types of animals. If you have a sporty little child who misses organized baseball or soccer, see if they’ll come up with their own team name and design a uniform. You can still play to a kid’s interests while they aren’t able to engage in the usual activities. Collaborate with your children on creative ideas and see what you can come up with.
Get productive. I know this is a particularly hard time for teenagers, who don’t want to play games and you don’t want to see them glued to a phone all day. It’s no easy feat, but challenging them to create a video, design an app, build a website, or write a short story could actually be the push they need to get invested in a hobby. While teens might not love school, a lot of them appreciate the reward of working to get better at something, especially if it’s something they can share with friends online.
These are hard times for everyone and doubly hard for a lot of parents. I appreciate you making the extra effort and look forward to hearing about how it all goes!
Disclosure: Information presented is for educational purposes only and is not an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. To submit a question to be answered in this column, please send it via email to Question@GoFarWithKovar.com, or via USPS to Taylor Kovar, 415 S 1st St, Suite 300, Lufkin, TX 75901.
