Letting them lead... at the fair!

Last week, our family spent a day at the Iowa State Fair, complete with corn dogs, the butter cow, and giant pumpkins! I was so excited and had so many things I wanted to do! Are you a planner like me? Do you set big expectations for big days out? I am notorious for this! There's absolutely nothing wrong with planning and being excited for big events, but we do have to be a bit careful to not take over a day that's meant to be fun for our kids.

What do I mean by this? Well, what are YOU wanting to do, and what are your KIDS wanting to do? As adults, we often have ideas of what we think our kids will want to do. But, especially for younger kids, simple is usually better! What were my kids' favorite things at the fair? Grinding corn, looking over the railing in the Ag building, watching the bees, watching the colors match on the Skyride above us, and climbing a random tree. Yes, they enjoyed going down the giant slide and watching the BMX show. Yes, they were super excited to ride the Skyride! Yes, they liked sharing in some of my favorite fair traditions. Do those things! But the fair - as well as lots of other big events - is also great place to let your kids lead for awhile! Maybe your child could sit and watch the baby ducks all day. Don't rush on to the next thing! Perhaps you found a shady spot and your child is simply watching the people going by. Let them be for a moment. Enjoy those little moments of joy! Enjoy the look on your child's face! And maybe take in some of those simple things yourself! It can be a breath of fresh air on a busy day!