Monday Movie Night

I have a weekly tradition with my kids called Monday Movie Night.  Every Monday we order pizza, pick out a movie (usually rented from one of the local Redboxes) and just hang out together.  We miss a few during the warmer months when the kids want to be out at the park with their friends soaking up all the daylight fun, but during the winter months Monday Movie Night is a much looked forward to staple.  I've talked to a lot of people with kids and found that most families don't do this kind of thing.  What happened to parents hanging out with their kids?

I can tell you as a mom that you accomplish the most with your kids during these "hang out" times.  If the only interaction you have with your kids is to tell them to do stuff and yell at them, you will find that you have no relationship left with your kids when they get to their teenage years and gain some freedom.  We've also done Thursday Game Night and the kids have recently suggested Tuesday Cleaning Night (you did not misread... my kids actually made that suggestion!).  We also turn on music and dance together while cleaning, cooking, etc.  All of these activities bond us as a family and keep us connected.  There are so many times when kids make you want to pull your hair out... shouldn't you spend as much time enjoying them?  After the house is cleaned, we're hoping to change Tuesday Cleaning Night into Tuesday Craft Night and work on lots of different, fun craft and household projects.  This way I get to teach them how to do things around the house without all the pressure that normally accompanies these lessons.  I also have each of the kids fix dinner for the family at least once a month.  It doesn't matter if they make something as easy as grilled cheese and soup, they learn how to plan a meal and make it and when they get into the real world at least I know they won't starve.  No guarantees that they won't turn in to a giant bowl of Mac 'n cheese though. :)

Our job as parents is to teach our kids how to function in the big, bad world once they leave home... that's it... that's all we have to do... YIKES!  There are many life skills to teach your kids, but one of the most undertaught (in my opinion) is how to kick back, relax, and have a good time. 

So, what was our Monday Movie Night movie last night?  We watched an old favorite... The Master of Disguise.  For my fellow 80's survivors, this movie highlights Dana Carvey doing a lot of his old SNL characters.  It's made for kids around age 10 (plus or minus a few years), but is a cute movie for a family to watch together.  It's rated PG and probably one of the only ways to let your younger kids enjoy Dana

Carvey's work... and then, once the kids are in bed, continue your Dana Carvey marathon with my personal favorite... Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies.  BTW... I am sooo NOT the lemon!!! ;)