I owe my parents a big thank you for the many great memories of “family days” of my youth. I’m sure there are many others out there who also thank their parents for the same.

So many special excursions and experiences make for amazing memories. I’ll let you in on a few of these special memories of family days of my past.


Family Time Spent Together: How We Did It In The 1970s And 1980s

Before Family Day became a provincial holiday in Ontario, spending time with parents and siblings was something that just happened on a regular basis.

Activities could range from learning how to play Chinese Checkers to taking a stroll by the lakefront. Occasionally a day trip to a friend’s cottage or a visit to one of the many attractions Toronto had to offer.

Sundays were always meant to be days of rest in our household. It was a throwback to the good old days when families would head to church in the morning, have lunch and then enjoy a relaxing afternoon indulging in shared activities.

So what has changed since then?

Life Is Busy. Less Time For Kids

Sunday shopping has eaten away at free time – whether you are working or lured by the shopping, that’s one day that is taken away for “Family Days”.

Our lives are more hurried. Household tasks that used to be done on weeknights are now pushed to the weekends. We are distracted by the multitude of TV shows, video games and social networking sites (I’m talking about the many hours spent chatting or promoting oneself on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and blogging… a common lament of many mommy bloggers out there).

And time flies by faster because we have so much to balance in our lives.

Commutes to work are longer due to increased traffic and by the time we get home, there’s little energy to do much more than make dinner and clean up dishes.

There are days that I wish we could turn back time to those simpler days – when parents carved out time to take a walk down the street to the local park. When a trip to a friend’s cottage in Parry Sound was a two-day weekend away from the city.

A Few Fond Memories Of Family Excursions

I share with you some of my favourite family days together. Yes, I looked like a dork at times with a bowl cut hairdo. I hope you enjoy them and they bring back your own fond family memories!


QUESTION: What are some of your memories of family activities outdoors?

Author

Margaret Bourne is a blog coach and strategist, with over 18 years of experience in marketing and public relations. She helps aspiring bloggers build and grow professional online businesses. A wife, and mom to a little boy, she also occasionally shares lifestyle-related stories through her Suburban Tourist blog.

2 Comments

    • I have to agree with you on that Teena – I was very lucky that my parents made the time to do things with us that took us outside of the house. So few parents do for a variety of reasons, but mostly it’s laziness.

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