I am betting your October family calendar is already full. If yours is anything like mine, there are school project deadlines, after-school lessons, football tailgates, and work obligations planned and filling up the whole month. With so many places to be and things to be done, there does not seem to be any time left for anything else. Fall can feel like we are being pulled in every direction, with little room for slowing down and enjoying the change in season. But maybe the change in season, with cooler days and brighter hues, is just what we need to remind us that seasons are short and moments to make family memories are too.
As quickly as autumn arrives, it will just as quickly give way to winter, and we will be left wondering where the time went. This fall, let’s not be caught wondering how we missed the moments and how fast time flies, but instead plan for fall fun with our family and friends.
In this month’s feature article, Pumpkins, Pancakes & Pajamas: Creating Meaningful Family Rituals This Fall, the author gives great ideas on how to purposefully plan for family moments that will make for a memorable fall this year. It can be in the small morning routines where an average breakfast gathering can go from another round of pancakes to a festive pumpkin-spiced stack dripping with syrup and warm apple cider to wash it all down. The smell and taste of fall will be fond family memories to look back on year after year. How about a cozy evening around the fire pit, while snug in matching Halloween pajamas?
Autumn nights can be crisp and perfect for gathering, wrapping up in warm blankets, and spend time talking about each other’s day. Maybe make it a fall tradition to read a spooky novel together out under the night sky. Another way to enjoy the change of season is to make room on your calendar to get back into nature. As the temperatures cool down, getting back outdoors and exploring together can create lasting memories this fall. Plan a trip to the nature preserve or a local farm where a scavenger hunt for a red and orange leaf, an acorn, and the smallest pumpkin in the patch will turn into a fun family outing filled with more fall memories. For other fall outing ideas, check out this month’s Fall Festivities and Halloween Fun Guide. From fall markets and church festivals to hayrides and trunk-or-treats, there is something for every family to add to their calendars that will help with purposeful planning this fall.
Yes, our calendars are already filled to the brim with spelling tests to study for, piano lessons to practice, and out-of-town business meetings to attend. Even thinking of adding to that may seem daunting at best, but the smallest family fun addition could be your family’s favorite memories to look back on one day. Just the smell of pumpkin spice floating past could bring back those messy moments making fall breakfast with your little ones. Seasons change quickly, as do our children. From one parent to another, make time to jump in those leaves, run through the patch, and decorate that pumpkin this fall.
