When you have four kids, spending one-on-one time with each of them can be challenging. That’s why this summer — just like the past two summers — I’ve decided to do “Mommy Days” with each of the children. We do something the child enjoys. I can focus fully on that kid.
Often, we get a June start, but this summer we were gone for two of the first three weeks of summer break, and I was traveling extensively for the other three of the first five. So now I have six weeks to get these done before school starts.
First up: my 6-year-old daughter. She wanted to go to the American Girl Place in New York. We’d been to their old location for her birthday, but not the new one in Rockefeller Plaza.
It was a fun day for her in general. This morning, she came with my husband and me as we dropped the 3-year-old off at day camp. That meant that she got to see her former — and much-loved — preschool teacher. Then we drove Daddy to work and went up to his office. We snagged coffee (for me) and gummy snacks (for her), and we walked over to the train station and took Amtrak to NYC.
The American Girl Place is pretty spectacular for a girl who loves dolls. We wandered around for 45 minutes looking at all the fabulous merchandise, then ate at the cafe. They have special seats for dolls, and a dessert that involves decorating your own cupcakes. I’d told her she could buy something, and so after, she made her selection — the Ashlyn Welly-Wishers doll (about half the price point of the AG dolls; don’t tell her!) — and we hopped in a cab to go visit…Uncle Dan’s office!
He works in Hudson Yards, and I’d never seen the new development. We spent a lot of time looking out the windows 26 floors in the air. You can forget how cool this is to a kid. (“The cars look like ants! The buses look like beetles!”)
Then we walked around the High Line for a while (which we know from The Curious Garden, a book we’ve read A LOT in our house) and took the train back. Ashlyn the doll sat between us as my daughter played games on her Kindle.
So that’s Mommy Day #1! Now on to plan a beach trip, paintball, and something for the 3-year-old. He’s not really aware of the universe of options, so this may require some guidance…(or I might be sneaky and really hint at something I would like to do…)
In other news: UK readers — Off the Clock is finally out in the UK on August 2! The Times of London ran a great review/feature on the book this week. You can check it out here (but behind the registration wall).
Hi Laura, I found my UK copy of Off the Clock yesterday, an early surprise!! Found it when we got back from holiday, placed on the side by the friend who had been feeding our pets while we were away, so not sure when it came! In the spirit of your off the clock posts I was very self controlled and did the unpacking, wetsuit rinsing etc etc resisting the temptation to ignore everything else and read it then and there, so I can savour the anticipation! Then when I have read it I will listen to the Off the Clock podcast I have been saving up 🙂
Your first Mommy day sounds like it went great, I love the idea. I only have two children so opportunities arise more naturally to spend one on one time, but you do inspire me to be more intentional about how to fill those days because otherwise they can just drift by. I would definitely be encouraging your little guy to choose whatever you would enjoy most 😉