I’m about to become a parent of two under 5s, what family traditions do you have?

[Bananahana]

Ill soon be becoming a mum for the first time, to a 3 and 5 year old. Via adoption. It’s been myself and my husband for years and now we realise we need some family traditions, focus on fun, cheerfulness and togetherness. I saw someone say they have Friday afternoon disco with a disco ball inspired by Sophie Ellis-Bexter.

Our current traditions (pre pandemic) are Friday night pub and sleeping in on Sundays so that won’t wash with kiddos, need inspiration!!

Any ideas, suggestions etc most welcome x

Excellent news! Is it possible perhaps that you focus on enjoying your time with them and seeing how various activities and things unfold a bit and maybe let your own traditions come up? It’s unlikely that other families practices are going to suit your own unfolding scenario well, and perhaps being too tied to the idea of Needing Traditions may generate extra stresses?

For what it’s worth we have a 1 year old and a 5 year old and don’t think we have “traditions”. They are in childcare and school and clubs FT as we both work FT but we enjoys picnics, BBQs, trips to farms, we are all foodies, love books and generally chill out by lazing around lots. But no set “traditions”.

Maybe wait and see how they settle, what their personalities are like, what interests they show and take from there?

Congratulations! I'd thoroughly recommend a weekly Friday movie night. Pizza, popcorn and a Disney movie kinda thing. Nice way to unwind into the weekend, and easy on everyone.

P.s. maybe you can find a way to maintain your chilled Sunday morning if you all enjoy it... stay in PJs and have milk for kids / tea for grown ups and read books / iPad snuggled under a blanket to give yourselves a nice slow start to the day, for example.

Congratulations! I was in your position 2 years ago. Family traditions will form naturally. They don't need to be anything super duper but something you all enjoy. Good luck and enjoy!

agree with others we do movie night on fridays, popcorn etc, we do kids clubs at weekends swimming on saturday and rugby on sundays. Early lunch on sunday and a boardgame early evening.

Congratulations! I agree, traditions come from doing something, finding out you really enjoyed it so you do it again.

You'll have loads of your own in no time 🥰

That's so heartwarming! I would wait and see what the children themselves like / warm to, and let that guide you.

Congratulations! How exciting. I wouldn’t put too much pressure on yourselves, see what happens naturally, try different things and then repeat the things that everyone enjoys. I have similar ages kids and we don’t really have loads as moods and energy levels are so varied at this age. For example movie night on Friday is a nice idea but also sometimes everyone’s exhausted and you just want them in bed ASAP

We have a You Choose Day Tuesday once in a while (inspired by the excellent Nick Sharatt book) where the kids (4 & 2) get to choose everything we do and eat (from a list of reasonable suggestions with some treats thrown in). We rarely end up doing anything different to usual, but they love the control of what to wear and where to go for a walk and which park to go to. I suspect it will become more adventurous as they get older though!

We have an almost two year old. Our weekend tradition is after milk (breastfeeding) I head out for a run. Toddler and daddy enjoy cartoons. They start a fry up before I get back and if we get the timing right breakfast is enjoyed right after my shower.

I recommend baking every Saturday with your DC. In our house, baking with all the DC together ends up with arguments about who's stirred for longest, pushing each other off chairs etc, but it's much more fun done with one child at a time, taking turns each week. Flapjacks, fairy cakes, brownies, Rice Krispy cakes...as they get older and more competent, you can progress to cooking proper meals together, and then you're teaching a life skill at the same time as spending time together.

Once things have opened up a bit more, you and your DH could alternate taking each child out alone for a short time every other weekend or so. Out for an ice cream or to McDonalds, a bike ride, swimming, to the park, even "helping" with a supermarket shop (probably not a full week's worth of groceries if you want to keep it fun!). It doesn't have to be anywhere fancy - usually they just enjoy spending time alone with a parent. As they get older, you might discover common interests that you can pursue together - visits to sporting events, music or comedy venues, shopping, museums.