Summers are fun, but now it is time to get back into the Back-to-school routine. But first, why not make the commitment to creating after school memories all year through?

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by the Goldfish brand but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I cannot believe that summer is winding down and once again it is time to get ready for back to school. As the kiddos get older, especially now that I have a teen, it seems that the time we had to create memories with them is just getting harder and harder. For instance, as school gets going, our days are filled with homework assignments and after school activities. Oh, and don’t forget the dinner rush! This year, our family is making the point to continue to create memories all year through, especially during the new school year. So, I ask you, which is your favorite way to create after school memories with your kiddos?

Creating After School Memories

You and I know how important it is for families to carve out the time to create lasting memories, but how to create them when you have to tend to homework, dinners, and after school activities? Well, the simple answer for us is to do many of the things we already do. And what are those? For starters, take care of the things that have to get done first. Things like, homework and dinners have to get done no matter what, right? Therefore after homework is done, make a point to prep dinners together. My kids love to provide input into what we are preparing, so why not let them help create our next meal. Plus to boot, they will be learning the necessary skills that they will need as they get older. Just one note here: if you don’t already do this, don’t try to make this part a strict cooking lesson. Instead, if they mess up, just have fun with it.

After homework and dinner are out of the way, why not have fun? Last year, I began implementing a few changes after homework and dinners were out of the way. To start, some nights we go for a walk around our neighborhood. This is not only a great way to bond and to create great family memories, but also to sneak in some exercise. 🙂

Although we love our family walks, not every evening is free for us. On those busy nights either myself or hubby, take one of the kids with us and spend individual quality time together. During this time, we take the opportunity to chat about what is going on with school or in their personal life. On the nights that we have complete down time, we love to cuddle up on our favorite spot with our favorite snack and catch up on our favorite TV shows. Afterall, we all need down time to recharge our batteries and why not get this accomplish with your favorite snack and our favorite TV show, right? What are some of your favorite ways to create after school memories? Let us know via the comment section below.