Maybe because my neighbour is always taking my kids for walks (more guilt), or another one of those things that I *wished* we did but never do, but I'm trying to make it a goal to go on more meaningless meanders.
The Mr walks to work and church but he has never been *lets go for a walk for no particular reason* type of guy! He needs a destination with a reason! I however have no problem with it, but being the
When I complain about bedtime woes to my mother she always tells me that when I was a baby they took me for a nightly walk. That's *just what you did* in those days. A nice 'getting ready for bed' stroll around the block in the evening pushing the pram. Maybe because there is a 4 year gap between me and my next sibling it was easier then or maybe people worked less in those days and life was less busy, because THAT just sounds like *another* exhausting thing to add to my list.
However it is something that the other family of us living in an alternate universe would do. You know there's me and my family here, and then there's my dream family somewhere else doing all the things I *want* to do but never do.
So this week we went on two twilight walks. I said "Let's go for a twilight walk" and A was like "ummm what's a twilight walk??" "Walking at dusk" I say. "We'll come home in the dark." First night they were excited, the second time they needed a little push (ie I had to wait for their 'favourite cartoon' to be finished) before we went. But it didn't take too much prodding to get them out.
And ya know what? It's been great. We've had so much fun and they have gone to bed *reasonably* well. Only bad part was the dishes and messy kitchen were still waiting for me. Where are those cleaning fairies? Don't they know it should all be sparkling clean by the time I get back from our walk?
What did I love?
The older kids pushing the pram. Seeing my 4 little ones walking in a row.
Meeting lots of other people around the neighbourhood
Playing at the park in the dark
Smelling wonderful BBQ's cooking. (ok so it made me sooo hungry and jealous)
Collecting Pinecones (for christmas crafts coming up)
Watching the girls play 'Secret Agents' on the way home
Spotting an owl fly above us and land. We observed him for a while.
Enjoying the last fragments of the sunset
Getting out of my house and partaking in nature
The opportunity to chat and giggle with the girls.
Watching the hundreds of bats that fly right over where we live at dusk.
Chasing N around in circles.
Making Shadows on walls.
Secret Agents is a hilarious game my girls play. They usually do this in the day, but night is much better. They tiptoe along and about every 10 metres they duck behind a bin, wall, car, fence, telephone box. They are *really* good at it and sometimes they even scare me as I can't tell where they are. Sneaky little things they are. It makes me laugh every time they play it.
So that should be enough reasons as to why I should force myself to go on a nightly walk.
Maybe my mother was right. Fancy that!
4 comments:
I remember going for twilight walks with the family - extended too! - when we were younger, visiting our Babushka and Dedushka on the holidays. That is one thing I miss about Suburbia, can't really do it in the bush. :)
Not very common here in the u.s. to go on walks with your kids. However, in Germany where my husband is from they parents go on walks daily. Fresh air helps make the children tired along with expending some of that energy.
there is something lovely about being out and about in nature with little ones running around you isn't there! Often we walk to the station and meet Chad after work! The kids love it! And bike riding together too! must be a combination of the fresh air, open space (minimal fighting - haha) and being out in nature!!
hey likes chocolate.. my neighbour is Swiss..... maybe thats where she gets her several walks a day from!!
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