Getting out of the House is Best for All of Us

By
Maureen Ingham
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0

I have always been an on the go type of person who likes getting out of the house as much as possible. I have a hard time relaxing, finishing a movie, sitting still for very long or “just hanging out” unless I’m sleeping. I wish I could sometimes, I really do, but I guess I’m just not wired that way.  I thought having kids might change that and in some ways it has. But when it comes down to it, I just like getting out and about.

Some days it’s a lot of effort to wrangle two small humans, pack an abundant amount of snacks, get shoes on, brush teeth, comb hair, bring extra clothes, pack lunches, get the stroller in the van and get to our destination by 9 A.M.

There are days I have coffee spilled on the front of my shirt or my girls’ shoes are on the wrong feet. It takes effort, but when we get to our landing spot, for our family, it is totally worth it. 

Here are the 10 reasons why getting out just works for our family!

  1. There is so much to do in Columbus! I love trying new things and Columbus offers so much to do each day. Whether it’s a new park, a new play place, a new coffee shop…you really could do something new each day with your kids. Check out some of our favorites found in The Guide to Indoor Play Areas in Columbus. 
  2. Less Mess. When we stay home, my kids can turn our living room into a disaster zone in less than 5 minutes. The toy buckets get toppled over and I am stepping on little Lego pieces before I get my second cup of coffee. When we go somewhere, there is less cleaning and I am a happier person. 🙂 
  3. Less Arguing. This one goes along with said messy toys. As the bins get dumped, along with it,  comes the battle of who gets to play with what when we are at home. The toy that the girls haven’t played with in two years somehow becomes the favorite toy, and the battle begins. When we get out, I see a significant drop in arguing. 
  4. We are making memories! I hope my kids remember these days. These days go so fast and soon they will be in school FULL time. I want to look back on these days and remember that we made each day an adventure. I hope I can instill that mentality in them as well. Each day is a gift and we need to treat it that way. 
  5. I give them my full attention. When we are out and about, I am with them in the experience. When we are home, I am distracted by my work, laundry, and dishes. As I mentioned before, since I have trouble relaxing, something at home is ALWAYS calling my name to complete. I want to give them my full attention, so I am able to do this when we are out. 
  6. It’s easier to meet up with friends. Meeting a friend from high school, a friend from college, a new mom friend is easy to do at a central place. Play cafes allow for a chance to catch up with an old friend while the kids play. So I guess I’m not always giving them my FULL attention 🙂 
  7. My phone stays in my purse. When I’m at home, it’s easy to look at Instagram or respond to texts while my kids play. This isn’t fair to them and when we are out, I don’t find myself doing that.
  8. The Columbus Moms Blog has so many great ideas to take advantage of. Working for this team has opened my eyes to the great opportunities we have in our amazing city. Since I work with events, it allows me to see what fun things are going on around the city and we don’t want to miss out! Check out the many events on our calendar. 
  9.  My kids like it. My oldest daughter wakes up and asks “what are we doing today?” or “where are we going?” It has taken my younger daughter some time to get on board, but I think she likes exploring new things now too. 🙂 We also give her the time she needs to be at home too. 
  10. Every day is different. It keeps life interesting and the girls are learning new things. We aren’t twiddling our thumbs and I’m not hearing “I’m bored!” It keeps us on our toes and hopefully makes the girls adaptable to new situations.  

                      Every day can be an adventure!

I’m not saying we never stay home or have a day at home in pajamas. We DO.

Are there tears some days when we are out? OF COURSE. 

I’m not saying if you don’t get out and about with your kids, your kids are getting the raw end of the deal. THEY ARE NOT.

But for me, I have to do what is going to make me a better mom and keeps my kids happy at the same time. At this stage in our life, it’s better for everyone to explore, get out and about, and have fun. For us, it just works! 

So I have to ask, what are you doing today?!

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Maureen Ingham
Maureen Ingham
Maureen Ingham has enjoyed living in the great city of Columbus for nearly 13 years! Originally from Canton, Ohio, Maureen attended Ohio University and will always be a bobcat at heart! After completing her education degree in Athens, she made her way to The Ohio State University to obtain a Masters degree in Special Education. She fell in love with Columbus then and convinced her now husband to join her in this awesome city! She taught 5th grade for 6 years, before deciding to stay home to raise two beautiful girls. Their family has recently moved to Worthington with their two girls and are excited to plant their roots here! Their first daughter, Maeve is 6 and her sister, Reese will soon be 5 years old. They welcomed a son, Miles in March 2020. Maureen has been with The Columbus Moms Blog since the beginning and now enjoys working on editing and events for the blog. She also works as a Postpartum Doula with her sister at a company called Together Wee Grow. They provide night nursing services, as well as daytime support to local families and babies in Columbus. It is a wonderful job to work along her sister and help families with their precious little ones in a vulnerable time period. In between the night shifts, sweeping up crumbs, exploring Columbus, and getting kids to where they need to be, Maureen enjoys working out, trying new recipes and restaurants, traveling, spending time with family, being crafty and trying to help others whenever she can! Maureen has many Columbus favorites. Her go-to restaurant is Third and Hollywood, she enjoys a sweet treat at Sassafrass Bakery or Fox in the Snow, a slice of pizza at Dewey's Pizza and a warm cup of joe at Highline Coffee. A perfect Saturday involves an outdoor activity with her family and trying a new restaurant when they can! She is excited to be a part of an excellent team here at Columbus Moms blog and hopes to be able to inspire mothers that small acts of kindness go a long way in raising their kids and the city they live in!

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