I love my aunt adventures. It is time I spend intentionally with my niece or nephews. One of my favorite adventures is those in the kitchen with them. My niece and I love to cook and create so making these Watermelon Ice Cream Sandwiches was a blast! Cooking together gives you time to talk and hang out. The boys and I would cook when I would come over to babysit back in the day. They would pull up the step stool and help me cook.
When Olivia was little she called me to a meeting at the family room table. We went through a new cookbook she had received and picked out recipes we were going to make. We made a list and prioritized our choices.
Cooking is one activity you can continue to do as they grow up. I love having traditions we can revisit because the memories build. Bonds are strengthened in that repetition and creating something together.
When I started my weekly outings I couldn’t have possibly dreamed of how much those nights would matter, to all of us. From game nights to watching the latest Disney show we were building something magical. For my brother and his wife, it was a date night knowing the kids were being well cared for and spoiled rotten!
They aren’t children anymore, each is now in their teen years, from high school and older, growing up and finding their way. My adventures look different with each of them. Some of them are shorter and more frequent in duration, others are quarterly trips to LA. My next adventure with one will take place in Waco, Texas. Times have changed but I cherish every minute.
Maybe your adventures are with your children or grandchildren. The times we can carve out with intention, produce a foundation for a lifelong relationship. I grew up with aunts who loved me and invested in me so I couldn’t wait to love on my niece and nephews.
4 Keys to Creating an Awesome Aunt Adventure
Be Intentional – If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen. Be willing to hear a lot of no’s before you get to yes as they get older because their schedules are busy. Don’t take it personally.
Be Consistent – Find a rhythm that works for both of you. Mine started on a weekly basis but has morphed over the years.
Be Flexible – sometimes the kids were tired, had a long day or just weren’t in the mood to do what we had planned. Find out what they want to do and if you can, do it. Some of our best Friday outings were adventures to Target where we would wander around and play with the toys. Before Christmas we would go and they would make wish lists by my taking photos of them and the items. So much fun! There was much laughter to be found in the dollar aisles and just being silly.
Be Creative – search Pinterest for a fun new idea. Go and taste the latest food trend. I have stood in a one hour line for overpriced but very Instagramable shakes we could barely put a dent in, they were so rich. But they looked cute in our photos! That hour in line, it’s gold, enjoy every minute.
Click here to get the recipe for our Watermelon Ice Cream Sandwich.
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