Straddle Parenting

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One of the biggest challenges in straddle parenting is what business folks refer to as “team building”: those all-in exercises that build memories, make you drop your guard, and establish connections between players. But when your oldest is filling out college applications and your youngest is pretending to be a Bubble Guppie, where’s the common ground? Don’t lose hope — it can be done! In addition to strong family traditions (which require planning ahead!), these quickly tossed together activities bring everyone to the table to share their gifts, their conversation, and their laughter.

1. Color. It probably won’t take much persuading for your littles to take their seats if you announce that a family coloring session is starting in ten minutes. But believe it or not, even older kids more interested in earbuds than flower buds will have their interested piqued if you have the right tools. Creative supplies like fine line colored pens,  woodless colored pencils, or Russian Sauce chalks make the process more fun by reaching beyond crayon-level exploration. Nothing that elaborate on hand?  Zentangle is a fascinating art. Books are available for bigs and littles, or you can just as easily print off some pages at home. Adult coloring books on various themes are also all the rage. No time to stock your shelves? Google your teen’s favorite topic and add the term “coloring pages” or “line drawing.”
2. Make a movie. Who doesn’t want to see themselves on screen — or take a turn behind the camera? Using a smart phone, you can film anything. Inspire your kids with retellings of some pratfall-prone comedy skits, or let them conspire to bring you a dramatic documentary of their best bike stunts. Request a reenactment of a hilarious family event. If your older kids are already into story-telling, have them pull together a quick script that gives everyone a role and create an original short. If they want to polish it, have them tinker with iMovie or other editing software. Screen the final project together, and enjoy seeing what your whole family can produce.
3. Play a board game. No, your toddler is not interested in a Settlers marathon. Neither is your middle schooler all that keen on being roped into Pretty, Pretty Princess. But games that inspire cooperative, team play can be a hit with multiple ages. Spontuneous, Caves and Claws, and Family Challenge are great additions to your game library. Sweeten the pot by popping popcorn or providing fun, fizzy drinks for everyone who joins in.
4. Decorate cookies. Sugar cookies aren’t just for Christmas; as a matter of fact, they’re actually more fun for the older set when you suspend the rules of Holiday Shapes Only and open the doors to Anything Goes. Using a sturdier dough, just about any freeform design is possible. Yes, you might end up with an electric guitar dusted in blue sparkles alongside a lumpy rainbow, but all of your kids will be in one spot, working on the same thing. Plus … cookies. Win!