Things To Do With My Kids Before They Grow Up

[mst1]

I am always working hard to be the best parent I can, and recently I was inspired by a commercial. (Don't worry. While it is true that every other commercial on TV these days is a male enhancement commercial this is not the inspiration.) There is an electronics (DVD Recorder I think) commercial where a dad goes with his kids to catch fireflies. There is a quick flash of a notepad where he is marking "Hunting Fireflies" off a list of things he must do with his kids before they grow up. That's outstanding and it makes me sick to think that I had not thought of it or heard of it before. Fortunately my four boys are still young and there is still time to do it all. So this weekend I started putting together my own list. I will include that list here in the hopes that some you, my friends, can help me make it even better. In my own mind's eye the criteria for being on the list is
A) the activity might not happen if I do not make it happen - so things like go to a movies don't count.
B) realistic even if they might require some serious effort
C) will provide my kids with a truly memorable experience

Of course I have drawn most of my list from either things I did as a child and fondly remember, or things I wish I had done. I look forward to any and all contributions.

MONTE'S LIST IF THINGS THE KIDS SHOULD DO BEFORE THEY GROW UP:
Hunt Fireflies (We have fireflies here but not like in the commercial)
Swim in the ocean
Hunt frogs and tadpoles
Sledding down a real sled hill
Go to a pro baseball game
Go to a pro basketball game
Go to a Texas A&M football game
Go to a KU basketball game
Ride a roller coaster
Go to a water slide park
See real mountains (like the Rockies or the Shenandoah's)
See the redwoods
Go camping
Go fishing
Fly in a plane
River canoing or whitewater rafting
See a heard of buffalo
Go boating
Meet a star (sports, tv, political etc)
See the White House
Visit the Alamo
Ride a horse
Ride a jet ski
Publish a book or poem
Volunteer for a charity or old folks home
Visit Gettysburg
See an old wooden ship
Go to Disneyworld
Fire a gun
Gather seashells
Hunt for fossiles
Create a rock collection
Get a pen pal
Watch a lunar eclipse
Visit a haunted house
See a baby animal being born
Watch a sunrise and a sunset over the desert or an ocean

Thats what I have so far. I know I will come up with more. I guess the list seems long. But if these things were things they would do in the normal course of their childhoods I would not need a list, right.

MST1

[Captain Jim]

I did all that stuff yesterday.

[grmichdad]

Wow Monte...That's quite a list...very ambitious! I sincerely hope you are able to accomplish it all!

[Trevor]

Nice list. It brought back memories of what my daughters and I have done...they are older now (16 and 13), so Dad isn't exactly high on the list of priorities. But you are on the right track. Now you've got me thinking about stuff I can do with mine...kayaking...tubing down a spring-fed river...theater...bowling...