Parenting Bucket List

While listening to KLOVE this morning on my way to work I heard a story about parents starting a bucket list for their children. This immediately caught my attention and I began to intently listen to what the story was about. Although this idea is not 100% original or even ground breaking; it does have the ability to completely change our families lives. For those who do not know or have never heard of  a 'bucket list' it is a list of things that one would aspire to accomplish before their departure from this life. Well a parenting bucket list is taking it one step further in that this is not just about you but also about your children. The list would include things that you want to accomplish as a parent with and for your children. It is so easy to get caught up in the "time flies" mantra or the "cherish every moment" saying and take a million and one photos or videos.  But  what better way to intentionally invest your time into your children and have the pictures and videos along with it.

My Parenting Bucket List for Isaac 

• To teach him about/show him how God loves him! 
• Go to the beach and fly a kite 
• Have a season pass to the Zoo 
• See the snow in Colorado 
• Take a hike in Lake Tahoe  
• Memorize Bible scripture together
• Run through the sprinklers/water fight 
• Road trip traveling all of Hwy 1 in California 
• Have a picnic under a redwood tree 
• Serve our community together - soup kitchen, tree planting, Operation Christmas Child 
• Go to Hawaii and visit Paul's Place 
• Have Mommy/Son Dates 
• Take him on Ferry in the SF Bay  
• Spend an afternoon at a museum of his choice 
• Walk on the Santa Cruz Pier 
• See the Grand Canyon 
• Put our feet in both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean together
• Go site seeing in Washington D.C.
• Swim with dolphins 
• Go to Disneyland for his birthday 
• Ride a train 
• See the Parade of Roses 
• Go to the CA state fair 
• Watch fireworks from a battleship 

My list is in no particular order and seeing that he is only 5 months old I know that much of this will wait until he is at an age where he can appreciate what we are doing. Yet, I still feel it is never to early and never to late to start a parenting bucket list. I also think that it is important to have a list for each child that is a work in progress. Meaning as a child grows and their interest develop and change its OK to change the list and we should be adding to it as well. The entire point of this is to accomplish quality time invested in our children's lives. After having Isaac I often found myself with wishful thinking that he came with an instructions manual, but no child does. Much of parenting is trial and error and no parent is a perfect parent. However,that doesn't mean that we should not be taking the time to make every effort to have life lasting memories and experiences with our children throughout their lives. I know that I have much more that I want to add to this list and it truly is a works in progress. 

Another thing that I would like to add is that I will be encouraging my husband to develop his own list for Isaac. Parenting is a team effort and there are many things that we will accomplish as a whole family, but I do think that it is very important that he also define his very own parenting bucket list. I encourage any parent out there to make this your own! There is no rules or regulations just have fun with it :)