Make A Mess: Strengthen The Family Bond

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Make A Mess: Strengthen The Family Bond (NAPSA)—Getting dirty can be a good thing—especially if you do it with your family. That’s one of the ideas one expert suggests for fostering family togetherness. With today’s busy lifestyles, finding time to spend together can be a challenge. Marianne M. Szymanski, family expert and author of “Toy Tips: A Parent’s Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices” offers these tips to bring families closer: Designate a day To promote family bonding, Marianne recommends setting aside time to have fun. “No matter what, make it man- datory—for kids and parents,” says Marianne. Brainstorm ideas for activities that involve everyone. Each week, ask a different person to lead the activity. Depending on the age of your children, you may need to help them plan. Designating days will help ensure families spend time together, even with busy lifestyles. Have good, dirty fun Playtime is a great time for messy family fun. Don’t be afraid to let the whole family get dirty. Suggest whiffle ball in the backyard andslide into home. Get out finger paints to embrace your child’s inner artist and let your hands get muddy in the flowerbeds. “Getting dirty is fun, so don’t let tough stains ruin your day. Using a product that removes stains will give you more time to play with your family since you won’t waste time worrying about getting the clothes clean,” says Marianne. So, when your family ends up with stains like dirt, chocolate ice “No matter how busy you are, designate days to spend time having fun with your family,” says Marianne M. Szymanski, family expert and author of Toy Tips: A Parent’s Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices. cream, and ketchup after a day at play, don’t worry—products such as OxiClean have been proven to fight tough stains better than washing with detergent alone. Kickit in the kitchen Cooking is a fantastic way to involve the entire family. Teach young children to set the table or mix cookie dough. Older siblings can barbecue chicken with dad or pour lemonade. According to Marianne, encouraging all kids to help in the kitchen gives them the opportunity to have fun, while you teach about the smells and textures of preparing a meal. Whatever the task, encourage teamwork by getting your whole family involved. Spending time together can be fun for everyone. For more family fun ideas, visit Marianne at www.toytips.com or OxiClean at www.oxiclean.com.

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