March Madness Family Tradition and Quick Tips for Families in Friday’s Fast Five 36th Edition
Building a stronger, happier family is at the top of most parents’ list. However, we are busy! These weekly Fast Five ideas and tips are a quick way to brainstorm, check-in, and create the family relationships you really want. This week’s Fast Five includes a fun March Madness family tradition, a lesson about growth mindset, a service idea, and more. While these ideas apply and can be used year-round, they’re especially fun and applicable during the spring season.
* These ideas are NOT meant to be a checklist or guilt trip of things we “should do.” Rather, they are intended to inspire you to find what works for YOUR family to learn, laugh, and love together. Remember to stick to the Simple Side of Parenting.
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What is Friday’s Fast Five?
Many Fridays, we share five quick and simple ideas for families under the following categories:
- Something fun
- A Little Lesson
- A Service Idea
- Something Random
- A Quick Tip
As I try to simplify my own parenting journey and help others do the same, these help us think about what I feel is a simple version of good parenting…learn, laugh, love.
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With that, here is the thirty-sixth edition of Friday’s Fast Five. (You can find other editions HERE.)
1. Something Fun: March Madness Family Tradition
As an extended family, we take our Madness seriously. We all make our picks for the NCAA basketball tournament using either ESPN or runyourpool.com. The winner gets their name and year put on the traveling trophy. My brother-in-law may be sleeping with the trophy these last few weeks as his reign is about to end, and he’ll have to send the trophy to the next winner. (Unfortunately, the trophy is not headed my way 😒).
Sidenote: As I’m writing this, Saint Peter’s is fighting to beat Purdue and become the first 15-seed in the Sweet Sixteen ever! Eeek!
Part of this March Madness family tradition is that we have one trophy for the adults and one for the kids, and a whole lot of bragging rights mixed in. 🙂
2. A Little Lesson: Spring Blossoms and Growth Mindset
Use the blossoms to share a little lesson about growth mindset. This can happen casually as you walk or drive or in a family meeting. Here are some spring-connected growth mindset ideas:
- It’s amazing how these blossoms grow and the trees change. I’ve noticed how you’ve grown a lot too, like how you’ve worked really hard to ________ .
- Every seed has the potential to become something beautiful and fruitful. What do you want to become?
- Sometimes it takes patience (a whole winter!) to wait for the changes to happen, but they’re happening slowly and surely in ways we may not even notice. We aren’t there yet, but we will get there. What helps you be patient and keep trying?
Wondering how to fit Little Lessons into your life? Check out How Busy Parents Can Teach Important Life Lessons.
3. A Service Idea: Bouquets
Doorbell ditch a bouquet of flowers with a kind note to a couple neighbors, friends, or elderly individuals.
4. Something Random: Boredom
Looking for some Boredom Busters? How about…
5. A Quick Tip: The Gap
This was shared by Dr. Mona Gujral during our recent parenting teens summit. When we extend that gap in our parenting enough to act with intention (instead of react without thought), we can bring a lot more peace into our relationships. During the gap, when we’re feeling short on patience, we can take a couple deep breaths or ask a question and listen like “Tell me more about that.” The more we practice, the more natural this becomes.
And that is Friday’s Fast Five!
Here are a Few Links that are Helpful this Time of Year:
- S is for Seasons: Preschool Activities and Lesson
- 14+ Spring Break at Home Ideas and Quick Tips for Families in Friday’s Fast Five 28th Edition
- In the mood for some Spring Cleaning? Check out 15 Genius Bathroom Cleaning HACKS for an Easy Deep Clean or the Quick Cleaning Toolkit (Keeping a clean house doesn’t have to be a fulltime job- let me show you how!)
Which of these Fast Five ideas sound fun for your family today? Do you have a March Madness family tradition or another tradition this time of year? Share in the comments!
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