Father Daughter Date--October 2011

In the last year, Dusty and I have started to implement dates with our daughters.  It is something we've seen modeled by other families in our church body that we hope to cultivate in our family also.  It provides quality time with each of the girls and an opportunity to build strong relationships with them.  There isn't always a lot of deep discussions with a three year old, but we hope that these times foster good communication down the road.

We are still working out the kinks to making these dates happen on a regular basis.  Right now one of us takes Natalie or Maggie out (each girl once in the month) while the other parent stays home with the other two and then the following month it's the opposite parent's turn.  It won't be long before there will be three girls to date in which we will swap months taking one girl out each week for three weeks with one week off (maybe for a regular date for Dusty and I!  Still working those kinks out too).

Maggie is pretty content with simply going out for something to eat (usually donuts) on her dates and having one on one time with us playing babies.  She's only three and we are still figuring out her interests to which I'm sure her dates will diversify in time.  Natalie is pretty easy when it comes to thinking up fun date ideas for her.  Her attention span is greater as well as her willingness to try things.  Maggie is growing in this for sure though (see Peter Pan post--she sat through the whole production.)  One of the first dates Dusty took Natalie on was a hike to Arthur's Rock.  She was two months shy of four and climbed the whole way up--one way being just shy of two miles!

We were so proud of her.  She loved it and has been asking Dusty to take her on another hike date ever since.  It is such a privilege spending time with you and getting to know your hearts.