Family Fun
By dorannmwin
@dorannmwin (36392)
United States
July 29, 2012 10:30pm CST
In todays's world it seems like families spend a lot less time together than they used to do in the days of old. This means that there are fewer times that families really get to have a lot of fun and bonding time together.
For our family, we do try to spend as much time as possible together during the weekends because my husband is at work through the week and he is generally pretty tired when he gets home from work.
Some of the things that we enjoy doing together is going out to eat, going hiking and also visiting some of the historic places, zoos and museums that really aren't that far from our home.
Next weekend we are planning to go up to Northern Kentucky where they have an annual goetta fest in Newport. This is something that we've been wanting to do and it looks like we are going to be able to do it this year.
I'd really love to hear about some of the things that other families do so that they can all have fun together.
1 person likes this
20 responses
@ShyBear88 (59282)
• Sterling, Virginia
30 Jul 12
Since we will have two kids under the age of 2 there isn't much we can do yet as family besides going to the park or seeing family. We spend all weekend together doing things that toddlers like to do.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
Before you know it, there will be all kinds of things that your daughter will be wanting to do. There are a couple of really nice zoos that are not too far from here and there is also the Newport aquarium and other things as well.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Aug 12
Down the slide, or up the slide? LOL! When my children and also my two oldest nieces were her age, they were far more interested in climbing up the slide than going down it the way that they are really supposed to do.
@ShyBear88 (59282)
• Sterling, Virginia
1 Aug 12
We took her last year to the aquarium she loved it. I was going to take her this summer we just didn't have the money and of course I can't take her now. I told my mom or my mother in law while she is up in va to take her to Maryland to the aquarium or the zoo. She hasn't been to the zoo yet. I'm going to take her pumpkin painting this year for Halloween and let her get all messy. Half of the time she just likes going to the park to go down the slide.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
It is a German meat product. It was originally invented to make the leftover meat last longer. It is a combination of ground pork and oats. I know that it sounds really strange, but it is something that we all really like and also something that is very popular in the Cincinnati area.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Aug 12
And also something that is very regional to the Cincinnati area as well. My husband says that he remembers a similar food from when he lived in Germany, but he also knows that it wasn't called by the same name.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
Unfortunately there are not any water parks around here, but I know that if there was, then my kids would love doing something like that. You are right that the majority of the things that we do are things that are free because we cannot afford to spend a lot of money on family fun activities.
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
30 Jul 12
Yes. During week days people work from 8 am to 7 pm and return home very tired. I find the same thing with my people here in usa and canada also. Even while staying in Chennai I use to be busy during week days with classes and we relax only during week ends. Normally we are used to spending the time together in the house --setting right things--occasionally we do go out to parks, beaches nearby our place of residence.
if one has small kids --zoo, museums will be of an added interest. I find in detorit area -- in some house they have a boat of their own and they take it during week ends to lakes for boat riding fun and they return by sunday evening.
houses near lakes are costly here because they present a very good view. 
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
30 Jul 12
hi ravisivan here in Southern Calif houses are so expensive all adults in the family work to pay the housepayments. rent for a pts has gone beserk 2bedroom apts go from 1000 to 1400 a month and it
used to be 600 or 700 a month. I had n ot realized the Detroit area had a lot of lakes. wow.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
There are a few lakes around here, but we are not able to afford a boat. It is something that we would like to be able to have in the future. I know that our children would love being on the water because they are both fond of swimming and love to go to the river when we have the opportunity.
@beenice2 (2967)
• Sackville, New Brunswick
30 Jul 12
It is hard for us to have family fun, our kids are mostly adult and they think that fun = computer games, and my husband his work is mentally tiring him out and all is center in the making more money because when you are poor you have to think about surviving so it is not interesting.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
You are right that you have to think about surviving when you are poor. However, I do think that even when you don't have a lot of money it is possible to have fun with your family, you just have to find the free things to do.
@Hillxuan (77)
• China
30 Jul 12
in other way ground ,i never want to go home ,when i get back home ,my father always quarrel with my mother,so i very hate going home .i would rather stay at school or relative than stay at home .my sister and brother also do not stay at home ,sometimes they seldom call phone home .they graduated after ,working another city ,but in from the time ,i often call phone home to tell they my sister and brother .they want know something only through me .in me heart ,i love my family.bless they.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
30 Jul 12
welcome to mylot Hillkxuan that sounds so sad, Your parents fighting
'and you feeling like you never want to go home. I feel for you.
My parents used to fight all the time when I was little and I would get migraine headaches from tension over it. Sad parents cannot
get along with each other, sadder still f or their children.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
I am so sorry to hear that life at home is as difficult as it is for you. This is something that I was lucky that I never had to go through in my life. I always knew that my siblings and my mother loved me. My father loved me as well and we were very close, but he did pass away when I was a young teenager.
@lynboobsy11 (11343)
• Philippines
30 Jul 12
Im jealous when I saw families that are big and happy. I have step sibling both on my parents but I did not meet them. My parents are too far away with their siblings too. How I wish I have both families stay together with a good bonding.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
My little family isn't really all that big, it is only my two children, my husband and myself. However, we also do spend a lot of time with my mother, siblings and nieces as well. My son actually is on the same baseball team as my nieces so that means that we are all able to spend a lot of time together as well.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
30 Jul 12
My family is spread apart by many miles.....but when the kids were little Wed. night was family night. YOu had to be home and participate in whatever activities we decided to do. Sometimes it was just playing board games or going to a movie...sometimes it was going to see a local baseball game...but we did that for years and years.....now when we get together what do we still do? Play games! LOL
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
When I was growing up we had all kinds of different board games and even though I was grown, before I moved out of my mother's house, we still played board games on a regular basis. Now I don't live over there, but when I find out that my brother, sister and mom have been playing games, I actually get upset with the fact that they didn't let me know that they were playing games.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
30 Jul 12
i so wish i could turn back time when the kids were young/ little. we played things together all the time, plus went to zoo and other events. it was so much fun! these days since they are all grown and im disabled, we dont hardly even talk the same language. 
they no longer play board games. sometimes we watch things together and about once a month we sit down to dinner together. my daughter used to watch different programs with me but she works so much now. 
she also used to play on pogo games from our computers together but she falls asleep now as she is so tired every night. but we used to have loads of fun together so enjoy it while you can dear.
they no longer play board games. sometimes we watch things together and about once a month we sit down to dinner together. my daughter used to watch different programs with me but she works so much now. she also used to play on pogo games from our computers together but she falls asleep now as she is so tired every night. but we used to have loads of fun together so enjoy it while you can dear. @dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
It is definitely something that I do enjoy and also something that I am thankful for. I don't get to spend as much time with my mother and siblings these days as I would like to spend with them, but, we do try to spend time with them at least once every couple of weeks. We will still play board games together and Paul also plays t-ball with his cousin and my brother is the coach of their team.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
30 Jul 12
I think that one of the main reasons that families spend less time together these days is because there is so much more that they can do. In times gone by, most families wouldn't have had a car which would have meant that the children couldn't just go to see their friends whenever they wanted to, and they would have had to stay in with their families. Our family has one night per week that is "family night", and we will all sit and talk about the things that we have been up to during the course of the previous week. It is great, and something that I hope we will never stop doing because it is very useful for all of us really.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
We tend to think of Sunday as being family day and that is something that I hope that we will be able to keep doing throughout the time that the children are growing up. Tom's family had family day on Sunday and ours was the entire weekend while I was growing up so this is something that we both want to pass on to our children.
@vidhyaprakash_2 (7116)
• India
30 Jul 12
Hi friend, good to hear about your ideas, really this kind of outings will give more fun and enjoyment to us and we forget about our tensions and responsibilities while enjoying with our family members. This kind of family fun is essential to every one to get a new energy
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
Not only are these things good for getting rid of excess energy, I also think that spending a fair amount of time with our family members is also something that makes sure that family members get to know each other really well.
@skyandgrassplot (1497)
• China
30 Jul 12
I really jealous with your family,I still not marry yet,and the city where I worked is far away from my hometown,so it is rare that I go out with my father and mother at the weekend,actually the time we join together is rare in a year cause we all busy,I am very sorry about that cause my parents are getting older,so I will squeeze more of my time and accompany my father and mother.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
Despite the fact that we are a really close family, you really shouldn't be jealous of us because we have definitely had our share of struggles in our lives as well. I do think that you are right that as your parents get older, it is important to try to spend more time with them.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
That really sounds like a lot of fun. I would love to be able to go camping by the river with my children, that is something that we've never gotten to do yet.
@sajith804 (29)
•
30 Jul 12
yes.actually such as out door actiities like ridingbikes,skating.pinics,walking in the parks,going for swming these thing i also doing spend tme togethr with my family.yea i think it very fun.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
I do think that it is fun, but there is actually also the added benefit of the fact that we are able to participate in healthy activities with the family as well. I think that this is great because it does teach my children to enjoy doing physical activities.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
You know, we've never actually taken the kids camping, but that is something that they would really enjoy and something that we are thinking about doing once it starts to cool off a little bit. Another thing that we are looking forward to doing is taking the kids down to the caves.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
30 Jul 12
hi dorannmwin the only close family I have is my son and he comes to see me every Sunday evening. we talk and share laughs and watch s stuff on the computer and just visit. not an exciting family outing but still it tells me he still loves his mom. He like his father was cannot just say I love you but they show it t o me all the time in a myriad of ways. odd I used present t ense as my
husband has been gone for years now. but he always said I just show you I love you instead of saying the words.
I think its great that you are doing things as a family and
having fun all together.the annual goetta fest sounds like
fun too.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
You know, in many ways I think that it is far more important for a loved one to show us that they love us as opposed to them simply saying that they love us. You see, words can be hollow, but actions never can.
@much2say (53959)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jul 12
Oh yes, family time is definitely important! The kids and I are always out doing something - but it's nice when dad can come with us - but that has to wait for weekends. During the week, we at least all eat dinner together no matter how late it gets so we have that togetherness time - and if he gets home early enough, we all go for a walk if even to get some ice cream. We go to all sorts of festivals, birthday parties (oh my gosh, we've been to 2-3 birthday parties every weekend this month it seems), walking, going to nature places, parks, wherever! Next week we are going to do our official family vacation for the summer. It'll be just a couple days to Long Beach where there is an aquarium and the Queen Mary - and whatever else we can get to out there. The kids will enjoy anything adventurous - and I know they'll love getting the continental breakfast at the hotel - ha ha.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
My kids think that the breakfast that they have at hotels is the best thing about staying in a hotel. We haven't been able to do a family vacation this year, but we've still done a lot of things around here that has been fun for our family.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Aug 12
Isn't that the truth? The last time that we stayed in a hotel, it had a deluxe breakfast and I really have to admit that it was a really nice treat for all of us.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
30 Jul 12
I can remember doing so many fun things together with my family as a child. There were so many good times to be had and endless ways to enjoy sharing time together. Now if you dont have the latest technology available, the fun quickly comes to an end. I think that technology has advanced so much that it nakes individual fun more accessible. Group fun seems to dwindle when you can grab your ipod or xbox. this generation is missing out on a lot of faamily fun that can be had together.@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
I actually disagree that you have to have the latest technology available to be able to have fun with your family. In fact, I think that it is because of all of the technology that is available today that families don't spend as much time together now as they used to in the days of old.
@mikyung (2232)
• Philippines
30 Jul 12
Family get together really makes me really happy. It makes me excited even the thought of it. Back when I was younger, we usually watch movies together. Eat in our favorite restaurant, we also go to theme parks.
Hopefully, we can find time someday to meet and enjoy our family get together again soon. Oh, before I forget, my father and brothers together with their family are living in the US right now. I'm in Asia right now. Thanks@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
31 Jul 12
It must be difficult to be that far away from your family. The furthest that I have ever been from my family was a little bit over an hour away and that was when I was in college. Now, we are living on the other side of the same city as my family lives in.
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
2 Aug 12
Hi,
Many times my two sisters, their husbands, their children, my son and my parents meet somewhere some place of interest or at any hill station and we all have fun together for one or two days. But for the last two years we haven't go anywhere because my parents are getting older. But we had lot of fun together.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Aug 12
That is one of the things that is really hard is the fact that our parents do get older and that is something that is really hard for all of us. However, the fact that you did have the quality time together when they were able to do things does mean that after they are gone, they will live on for a very long time in our hearts.
