The Happy House Challenge

Each month I have dedicated myself to a task:

January- no alcohol (done! It was easy because I don't really drink very much, but my body needed a break after all the Christmas festivities)

February- Ab Challenge (done! I liked it but I'm thinking a squat challenge is in order next)

March- run a 5K (done! Well, it was at home- not a race like I had planned originally- but I still did it and am counting it as a win)

April- zero credit card debt (done! We have a teeeeeny tiiiiiiny line of credit to pay off and we are consumer debt free!)

That brings us to:
May, June, July, August, September.

I have dedicated these months to making my home happy. I mean, fun and joyous and happy, because (full disclosure) the winter months were not always that happy. 
We had a lot of fights as we tried to navigate my working from home balanced with the kids' needs and my husband's job. There was a lot of 'it's your turn now' and 'can we afford to do xyz' and 'STOP FIGHTING NOW! I AM SO SICK OF THIS! KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR BROTHER! NO YOU CAN'T WATCH TV! STOP TALKING' (all usually shouted by me, and only when the windows are open of course so the entire neighbourhood can think I'm a psychotic mother).

Balance has been a hard thing to strike, but in the past two months I have seen the lack of balance affecting my kids more and more. Thus, the Happy House challenge was born.

Hanging out at my parent's 'summer home'

My challenge is to just have fun, every day. Yes, we will still fight (my feisty redhead and terrible-two year old will make sure of that) but we focus on one fun thing every day.

A tickle fight, a wrestling match, painting rocks, making a craft, hide & seek, singing songs, playing in the sprinkler, eating popsicles, riding bikes, hiking, catching minnows, making cookies, watching ants crawl, drawing the sky on our driveway in chalk, dancing, playing with our friends, visiting the zoo.

Fun.

And then we talk about our fun thing during dinner. 

'What was the best part of your day?' I ask.

And then we talk and laugh and plan for the next day *usually this takes about two minutes before someone makes a poop joke because, let's face it, they're two and four year old boys. Talking isn't their most favourite thing to do unless it involves poop or toots or burps or ninjas.

But the key is fun. Even if it's 5 minutes- just some good fun once a day.

And I think it has made the 'work' part of my life easier. And I think it has made the 'kid' part of their life better.

Balance is a tricky thing. I doubt I'll ever get the hang of it, really.

But FUN? Fun I can do.

How are you making your house happier this summer?