I love one on one time with my boys

I try to work in one-on-one time with each of my boys here and there. I used to try and schedule it, now it seems it just happens as it happens. Today an opportunity presented itself and I'm glad it did. It was a lot of fun.

Earlier, I took my middle boy and my youngest boy to the bowling alley. They bowl in a Saturday morning league. Today the kids got to wear costumes and they got goodie bags. When we got home I told the boys there was the trick-or-treating event at the Tri-Town Safety Village in Schererville. The two that went bowling were on a sugar high from digging through their goodie bags and didn't want to go. The oldest two were busy putting out Halloween decorations. That left child #4. He was happy to go alone. Honestly, I was happy to take him alone. He's a sweetheart all by himself, but I knew there would be trouble and bickering with another one tagging along. I got him ready with his cape and vampire teeth. I colored his hair black and applied some dripping blood to his face and we were out the door.

Car rides with one are always a nice opportunity for conversation and a great way to get to know each child a little better by hearing things that don't come out in a crowded living room with several siblings. I remembered on the way there that I'd gotten an e-mail from Texas Corral saying that if kids came to eat in costume this weekend, they ate for free. Seemed like another great opportunity, so after he did some trick-or-treating, we went for a late lunch. He loves that place because you get to drop your peanut shells on the floor. He ate almost every bite, so when he asked for the giant brownie sundae, I splurged and we shared it.

On the way home, he asked to stop at the park. I pulled up and stayed in the car and told him he could play for 10 minutes since we'd now been out longer than I'd planned. He's not shy. He jumped out was immediately running and playing with other kids. Had I been there with my other boys at that age, they may not have gotten out of the car alone. I sat back and watched, enjoying his independence.

As we made our way home, I turned up the radio - something else I don't do with the rest of the gang there because someone complains about the noise or the type of music I'm listening to. He likes music. He likes to sing and dance. He surprised the heck out of me last summer when he did a summer musical class and performed in a play at the end of the session. He did a great job. So, we rode along, both singing out loud to the Black Eyed Peas. It was a fun afternoon - just the two of us. Mission accomplished.