5 Favorite Things to Do with Dad

Due to my need to organize, I usually have three or four things lined up for us to do as a family between Friday and Sunday. I’m not going to lie - these are three or four really amazingly fun things. Still, my husband will sometimes lose interest in what we’re doing which makes me more than a little crazy. Then our son will detect the tension, and before even one passive-aggressive word is muttered between the adults, he will declare “you guys are gonna fight!” Of course this means defeat for me and I then turn into that lady who walks around with her family in a really amazingly fun place, not having fun at all. So after we have essentially washed, rinsed and repeated this cycle over and over, I believe I’ve come up with the solution.

I have named my husband The Chancellor of Saturdays. He is the new organizer; I am along for the ride. He decides when and where to eat, when or if we’re going to leave the house, and when and if our son needs to do anything besides play Super Mario Sunshine all day. This is tricky because I have some very definite ideas about these “when” and “if” moments. But it has ended up being wildly entertaining as well. Our son has been more than a little puzzled when I defer to his father about everything. And my husband has looked more than a little frightened about possibly doling out the wrong answers when deferred to.

But this experiment is meeting with success. I love seeing my husband working to stay engaged with us as a family, and I love being able to kick back and watch some of the magic he comes up with. We had one of the most fun days ever when he brought dry ice home to play with. I certainly never would have come up with that. Then when our son’s eyes eventually began wandering over to the TV, my husband got us out of the house double-quick. We landed in Times Square, to play on the color walls and ride the Ferris Wheel in Toys R Us (ok, that idea was recycled from one of mine, but he still gets the credit.)

I suppose after being together for nine years, I’ve finally figured out one more secret to happiness: relax a little. My husband is an imaginative guy and given the chance, he will introduce our family to great adventures. And still, I get to be the boss of the other six days of the week. That’s actually more than enough – maybe I’ll throw him Thursday as well.

Here's 4 more Dad-activated activity ideas:

1. Take the train out to Coney Island for funnel cake and coffee (ok, no coffee for the kid. He can have a lemon-aid or a hot cocoa). This is especially fun during the off season. Gregory and Paul's stand stays open, and there aren't too many people on the boardwalk during the Fall and Winter. Sitting at a table and watching people doing calisthenic exercises provides many inappropriate jokes to be told, father to child.

2. Find a neighborhood date spot. The best ones have doughnuts. My husband and son have created a ritual of eating all the tops off. They then bring the bottoms home to mom, who is amused, but not all that grateful.

3. Bake! My son has his own baking kit which he uses to create delicious things with my husband. Usually they'll dream up breads with loads of butter and sugar, or pancake breakfasts with a sundae-type bar out for toppings but you know - it is the weekend and I'm pretty sure that's the only thing you're supposed to eat anyway. It seems that most of the fun is in observing the rising of the dough, and pounding it down, or making super-hero shapes with the pancake batter. My son also loves deciding the kind of delicacy to make - either from a picture in a cookbook or something online.

4. Video Games. Ok I know this seems like a cop-out, but it isn't. My husband went out and bought a video game with my son and they really bonded over it. It is one of those things where they explore lands together, and figure out what the goals are, then try to get there, together. We instituted a household rule that they can only play it when they're together, so my son has to wait until his dad is home from work to get any screen time. It has been amazing to listen to the conversations they have while playing.

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