It’s good to have a hobby. No matter who you are or what else you are doing in life, if you have a hobby, you will keep active (physically or mentally, and sometimes both), have something to look forward to always have a topic of conversation, and be able to de-stress more easily.
Of course, the problem can sometimes be the work-life balance. You have to work and enjoy your hobby, but is that really possible when you also have children to take care of? This is why hobbies can sometimes fall by the wayside; you just don’t have the time. However, if you can find a hobby that your children can do with you, you’ll be able to fit everything in and enjoy yourself immensely, as well as getting some extra bonding time with your kids. Read on for some ideas to get you started.
Reading
Reading might not seem to be a hobby as such, but it can be if you do it right. Simply reading a book is an excellent way to relax, but reading a book and then discussing it, writing a follow-up, or learning more about the author makes it more of a hobby.
Since reading is so good for children (children who read at home often do better at school, and their creativity will have an outlet and even improve through reading), it’s the ideal hobby to do together. You could choose to read the same book and then talk about it, or you might have your own books but use your reading time to find new places to read – even outside – or bake some treats to enjoy while you’re reading. Reading by itself is great, but it’s even better when you turn it into a hobby.
Gardening
The more time children spend outside, the better. They aren’t focused on their screens, they’re getting a break from schoolwork, and they’re breathing in the fresh air, as well as getting exercise and topping up their vitamin D levels. Of course, the same goes for the adults who are with them; being outside is good for everyone.
A hobby that involves being outside and that you and your children can do together could be gardening. This hobby offers a good amount of physical exercise, but it also teaches you something; you’ll need to know what plants will thrive, what to add to your soil, how to weed, and, importantly, what landscape gardening tools to use.
Gardening is a hobby without end; there is always something to do, so you’ll never get bored, and if you need to fill some time, gardening can be the solution there too.
Collecting
Collecting might sound like a generic, vague hobby, but once you determine what you want to collect, you can spend a lot of time and enjoyment searching those things out. Some of the things you might collect could include:
- Old postcards
- Stamps
- Music memorabilia
- Spoons
- Pin badges
- Anything to do with a certain animal
- Wooden boxes
The list goes on and on; whatever it is that catches your eye and makes you want to know more and have more can be your collection.
You don’t have to collect the same thing as your child; you might find that you have completely different tastes, and they want to collect gemstones while you want to find old cookery books, but this doesn’t matter. Going out together to scour the local shops, antiques markets, or boot sales to see if you can pick up any more items is always going to be fun.
