Celebrating Life with Children in September

Here are ten simple pleasures you can enjoy with your children this month.

1. Ask your child to read a book to you. Younger children can look at the pictures and describe what's going on in the book. Older children can read a current chapter in the book they are reading.

2. Make a Back-to-School time capsule with each child. This is a great tradition for the first week of school. Over the years, you'll have an album of memories that really tells a story. Here are instructions and ideas on things to include at the Family Fun website: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf89school/famf89school4.html

3. Choose one Saturday this month to be Kids' Day. For one day this month, they choose what to eat for meals, when to get dressed, what to do?

4. Ask each family member to start a gratitude journal. Younger children can draw pictures instead of words.

5. Make a big bowl of popcorn, gather pillows, dim the lights and splurge on a Pay-Per-View kids movie.

6. Take a walk with your children and let them decide the pace, as well as where to go. Allow them to linger over a stream or a single flower if they wish. Budget a lot more time for this than you might think you need so you're sure to be unhurried and relaxed.

7. Plan a short bit of "special time" with each child?.an hour or so to connect over hot cocoa or lemonade. Ask them about new friendships and express a genuine interest in their social lives at the beginning of this school year.

8. Take an art class with your child.

9. Blast music when you all are doing chores together.

10. Start working on homemade holiday gifts together. Now is the time to make some headway on those fun projects ? and still be relaxed enough to enjoy the process.

Susie Cortright is the founder of momscape.com - http://www.momscape.com and Momscape's Scrapbooking Playground - http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking -devoted to helping visitors record and preserve their cherished memories. Visit her site today to subscribe to her free newsletters.

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