Spending time with your children is an important part of creating strong family bonds and incredible memories at the same time.
Creating a strong parent-child relationship can start with having a special “Girls Only” day where moms and daughters can find common ground.
A recent study from the University of Georgia found the mother-daughter relationship determines a girl’s future relationship skills and self-esteem.
Your daughters might enjoy rock climbing or dirt bike riding, instead of traditional “girly” activities, like mall hopping or a mani-pedi.
It is important to know what interests your child and what activities are both age-appropriate and fun.
Which is not to say you can’t “push” the envelope a bit and expose your child to activities they might like, if they give it a chance.
The only ground rule should be:
“You should try everything once before you decide you don’t like it.”
That advice applies to experiences as well as food.
Here are a few ideas for moms and daughters to enjoy on a “Girls Day Out.”
High Tea
I have a friend who has taken her daughter to a special “high tea” at various locations around Los Angeles, as well as England and New York, every year since her daughter turned 5. They have a scrapbook of priceless photos and menus, as well as treasured memories. Not everyone can afford to fly to England, or elsewhere for tea (and they didn’t either, they just made it part of a family vacation), but “high tea” can be celebrated at home, or found at several SoCal locations. Reservations are usually a must.
Tea Elle C Garden Cafe, 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road #A6/7, Saugus, 91350. Info: (661) 255-9832 or www.theteagardens.com.
Afternoon Tea at Rendezvous Court, Biltmore Hotel, 506 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles, 90071. Info: www.millenniumhotels.com/en/los-angeles/millennium-biltmore-hotel-los-angeles/rendezvous-court
High Tea Cottage, 21938 Costanso St., Woodland Hills, 91364. Info: www.highteacottage.com
Chado Tea Room, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Suite #209, Hollywood, 90028. Info: (323) 472-8111 or https://chadotearoom.com. Chado Tea Rooms are also open in Pasadena, downtown Los Angeles and Torrance.
Pacific Dining Car, 1310 W. Sixth St., Los Angeles, 90017. Info:
(213) 483-6000 or https://www.pacificdiningcar.com/m_afternoon_tea.html
Geocaching
This fun treasure hunt teaches children how to use maps and GPS to find objects hidden in small containers around the Santa Clarita Valley, and elsewhere. There are millions of geocaches hidden around the world and there are probably some near you right now.
The typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and sometimes a pen or pencil. The geocacher signs the log with the date and their name (usually their “geocacher code name”). After signing the log, the cache is placed back exactly where you found it. Larger can also contain items for trading, mainly toys or trinkets.
The most important tool to be a successful geocacher is a good quality hand-held GPS, like the Garmin eTrex 20x ($200) or Garmin GPSMAP 64s ($300). The Magellan CX0310SGXNA eXplorist 310 Waterproof Hiking GPS ($200) is also an option. Some handheld GPS units can cost upwards of $400, but contain many features that the average geocacher will never use.
There are many kinds of caches, like Earthcaches, virtual caches and micro caches.
It’s a fun hobby that can take you to places you never knew existed.
There are also several books available to learn about geocaching as well as this informative website from REI (the outdoor equipment purveyor). www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/gps-geocaching.html
Info: www.geocaching.com
Volunteer
Teach compassion, humbleness and a better appreciation for what your family has. Volunteering teaches children how to give back and serve others.
Find a nonprofit you and your daughter want to support and volunteer together. If you can’t find a suitable volunteer opportunity then spend an hour picking up trash and litter in your neighborhood or at a nearby park.
If you need ideas of where to volunteer visit https://santaclaritavolunteers.com.
Sign Up for a Class
A great way to bond with your daughter is to take a class together. Get out the city of Santa Clarita Seasons catalog (www.santa-clarita.com/city-hall/departments/recreation-community-services-and-open-space/recreation/seasons) and find a class you’ve always wanted to take, or share with your daughter. Check the age requirements for each class, some require children to be age 12 and older.
Some examples of classes you can take with your daughter:
Centerpiece Creations (make your own spring table centerpiece).
Cupcakes (learn to back and decorate themed cupcakes).
Song Writing (turn your musical ideas into a finished song).
Sushi Making (learn to make sushi you can make at home).
Cake Decorating (craft beautiful themed cakes).
Drum Workshop (learn a variety of drumming styles, all skills levels).
