Bonding Over the Summer With My Tween #HowWeFamily

This is sponsored by TYLENOL® and #HowWeFamily – a campaign that celebrates modern families.

Back when my daughter was in grade school, the summer was filled with day camp while our weekends were spent visiting playgrounds all over the city.  Those weekends were so care free, just some snacks, water guns and friends to hang with.

Those were the days. Now, most of her friends are at sleep away camp or going on holiday vacations while we enjoy the summer having a very long staycation.

Hanging out at the playground is really not an option since she has obviously aged out but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun bonding over shared activities that are fun for us both and offers us the opportunity engage in meaningful conversations.

I truly love these memorable moments we spend together.  Our toodling around town just the two of us means so much to me because I find they provide us with hilarious anecdotes we can look back and laugh out loud about when we are sitting down to dinner. Bonding together is so important to me both now especially as we head into the teen years and she will want to spend more time with her friends than her mom. But secretly I think she doesn’t mind hanging with me if only because these activities end up with us laughing a lot together.

Here are some of the many activities we have done over the summer.

WEEKEND SHOPPING AT THE FARMER’S MARKET

Now that our weekends are so rushed, we head to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings to pick up seasonal vegetables and fruits. Okay, the veggies are for me since my daughter likes fruit. During the July 4th weekend, she makes her famous stars and stripes cake topped with strawberries from the market.

CASUAL SHOPPING TRIPS

 

In the last couple of years, my daughter has been focused on what she wears. Shocking, a tween girl who wants to dress herself. It’s okay, I know she is trying to find her style and shopping together offers me the opportunity to provide some hilarious anecdotes about what I wore in middle and high school, like this flannel shirt. Why does vintage equal expensive?

GETTING SOME MUSEUM TIME IN

 

One of the best things about living in New York City is all the amazing museums. This summer we checked out the new Whitney Museum down in Chelsea, followed by a long casual walk on The Highline Park.

WATCHING THE SEAL SHOW AT THE CENTRAL PARK ZOO

Admittedly, I am somewhat nostalgic about the Central Park Zoo since I have chaperoned many school trips and have arranged many playdates there, but now it’s just a fun quick trip to check out the seals and our favorite mammal, the penguin.  We always make a day of it, first visiting the MET and then capping off the afternoon at the Zoo.

 

While it might have been a staycation full of fun activities and hilarious conversations, our summer vacation is capped off with a big trip to Disney World and Universal Orlando. What is great about this trip is that my daughter is well aware that we are visiting Universal Orlando, but she has no idea that we are also visiting Disney World. That is my big surprise of the summer. I can’t wait until she finds out.

Spending time with my daughter during the summer means a lot to me. It reassures me that I’m doing the right thing, makes me feel good that she still wants to spend time with me (even as a tween!), and confirms that our loving bond is just as strong as when I adopted her. And these times do not last forever, so being able to reflect on the summer and the great times we shared makes me so appreciative. It’s #HowWeFamily.

What fun activities do you and your children partake in over the summer? Share your photos and videos across social media using the hashtag #HowWeFamily and show me and TYLENOL® how you family!

I am truly excited to be part of the #HowWeFamily campaign promoting its positive message about families. Get connected by visiting the official site of #HowWeFamily.  
How do you family? #HowWeFamily