Raising Lexington - Enjoy Spring with Your Kids!

By Audra Myerberg – Lexington Patch

Unlike most of America, my resolutions usually start around early spring, when my bulky sweaters give way to lighter more revealing wear. It is then when I realize my workout routine needs to be stepped into high gear and my diet tightened up if I don’t want to be laughed off the beach in my bathing suit.

But now that I am a mom, spring has taken on a bigger and, yes, better meaning. Now spring is about reconnecting and remembering what’s important in my life.

The best way to reconnect with my kids is spending time outside. Plenty of us have people to come and clean up their flowerbeds each spring and fall, but honestly it’s a really cool way to discover spring and bond with your kids.

Last week when we all started to realize this is going to be a very early spring in New England, the kids and I went exploring around our property to see what we could find. My son had already discovered spring's first flower, the crocus at his school, and was eager to see if we had any. Finally, after pushing away last fall’s dead leaves we found them peaking through the Earth ready to show their happy petals. My kids screamed with joy, literally.

Suddenly they wanted to clean out our entire flower garden. Out came the rakes, gardening gloves and trash bags. They even discovered a bee and a butterfly in their cleaning. My daughter got out some paper and crayons and drew all of the flowers she found in our young garden. While having our first al fresco dinner the kids noticed two robins frolicking about in the yard. My son did his best “sneak attack” on them and got pretty close.

It made me so happy to see them so interested in the flowers, insects and birds welcoming spring. I know at some point they will take these first signs of spring for granted, but for now they weren’t and they were reminding me not to either.

Spring is a great time to rediscover your town, too. We’re still feeling pretty new in our area so we love these warm days when we can walk to town, go biking and get to know our neighbors. When your kids see that you are invested in your town and school they feel invested too, and that sense of pride goes a long way. I went online and found out all of the fun activities happening in our area and had my kids make a list of which ones they wanted to do. My daughter marked it on her calendar and my son is already counting the days until the weekend. From parades to library events to a visit to the local fire department, with longer days and warmer temperatures there isn’t an excuse not to get out with the kids and check out your town.

But it is New England, after all, and weather around here changes like my mood (a lot) so always best to have some indoor spring activities on hand. While my daughter was busy changing out the window decals from winter to spring my son and I weeded through last year’s summer clothes to see what still fit. I think we all know the answer to that question: Nothing fit! So we made several bags of clothes to donate and my son got his turn at writing a list of what we needed to buy for spring. Somehow the list included Legos, which I wasn’t aware was a clothing option.

In an effort to keep what little sanity I have left, I pulled up some online clothing stores and the kids had fun picking out some clothes they’d like, which I will get while they are in school. I wasn’t born yesterday, after all, and the thought of bringing two young kids to the mall to clothes shop ranks right up there with a scrubbing the toilets.

So, jump into spring with your kids and reconnect with them in whatever fashion works for you. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, just fun and honest. Remember what it felt like to be a kid when you could finally go out and play after dinner because the sun hadn’t set yet? It’s heaven.

Maybe you should join them and go for a walk, throw the Frisbee or watch the birds. All the things you have to do around the house or for work can wait but childhood doesn’t.

By Audra Myerberg – Lexington Patch. About this column: A bi-weekly column exploring the triumphs, trials and travails of parenting.

Related Topics: Audra Myerberg, First Day of Spring, Parenting, Raising Lexington, Rediscover Spring With Your Kids, Spring Activities With The Kids, and Spring In New England