2016 advice children discipline parenting relationships

Bucket List Update

Tikeetha Tby
18 Comments on Bucket List Update

This is an update to my original post on a bucket list for Munch. I wrote this list over 4 years ago. He was 3 at the time. I wanted to update you on some of the items.

I read on a parenting website about parents creating a “bucket list” of sorts for their children. The “bucket list” is things they would like to do with their children before they become adults. I was surprised at some of the responses from parents from fishing in Alaska to an African Safari to making sure to kiss and hug them every night before they go to bed. So, reading this article got me to thinking…what things do I want to do with Munch before he becomes an adult?

I came up with a list of 21 things that I would like to do with Munch by the time he’s 21. It is in no real order except number one. I would like to accomplish each and every item with him. I know that technically he will be an adult at 18, but we all know that you’re not truly an adult until you can legally take a drink. Here is my bucket list of the top 21 things I want to do with Munch by the time he’s 21:
  1. Tell, show and help him understand about God. I want him to see and recognize that we are not alone and that God is the center of our life and all things are possible through him. He needs to experience the church, the Bible and learn to have unmovable faith in God. Update: Munch is on his way. He accepted Christ as his personal savior and got baptized last year right after turning 7.
  2. Take him to Europe. I love the thought of traveling to Europe to explore the countryside, architecture, the Louvre, the Vatican and all the other landmarks that I have only read about. I want fourteen days so we can spend it on a trek through Europe just exploring.
  3. Take him on a trek through the slave trade. We know we came from Africa, but where? I want to chase our ancestry back to Africa and follow the trail from Africa to Portugal to the U.S. I learned when I was in college that my ancestry could be traced as far back to Portugal. I want to go further.
  4. Teach him to appreciate his heritage and explore many other cultures. I think you become well-rounded when you know many different civilizations other than your own. After all Mahatma Gandhi said, “No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.” Update: We spent a great deal learning about Black History this year. Since he’s learning French we’re going to incorporate French speaking blacks into our curriculum. There is a lot to cover and he’s only 7, but we’ll get there.
  5. Teach him to speak another language fluently. Oh, how I wish I could speak another language fluently. The world is ever changing and the gift of being bi-lingual is one that he will appreciate throughout his lifetime. Update: Munch is in a French speaking school so he actually knows how to speak French fluently now. I am giving him two more years of solely French and then introducing Spanish.
  6. Take him to explore two states each summer. He needs to travel out of his comfort zone and see America the Beautiful. I want to increase his love for this country. Update: We haven’t done this. But, I’m taking him to Florida and Tennessee this year so he will get some exposure to places outside of his normal day to day routine.
  7. Teach him how to swim. This is one item that we will never falter on. I can’t stand the thought of him not knowing how to swim. Update: He’s in swim class and is in level 3. He takes his exam at the end of the month and hopefully will move to level 4. There are 6 levels in the program. Yay!
  8. Teach him how to share. I want him to share not only his toys, but his time, his wealth and his abilities. I want him to know that God loves a cheerful giver and it is your right as a human to help others. Update: LOL. He’s an only child so this is a work in progress. 
  9. Take him to the Caribbean. I want to watch him stick his feet in the water and his toes get sand in between them on the beaches of Mexico or the Bahamas. Update: He’s been to Mexico and I’m looking at taking him to the Bahamas next year.
  10. Take him to Disney World. I think that every child should experience Mickey’s hand on theirs or running through Cinderella’s castle. After all, he looks at my wedding photos (with my tiara) and says, “My mommy is a princess”. Update: He’s going to Disney in November.
  11. Teach him how to fight. I know many of you think fighting is bad and I agree that violence doesn’t solve anything, but I want him to be a strong fighter physically and mentally. I want him to learn how to defend himself against a bully. The best lesson I ever learned is that once you knock someone out, they don’t want to fight you anymore. Update: He’s in Tae Kwan Do, but I will introduce boxing at 10.
  12. Teach him how to love. I think children are taught the fundamental principles of love from their parents. However, now that his dad and I are divorced. I worry that he will not see how adults are supposed to love each other. I guess in the divorce, I want him to know that heartache is a part of life and that you have to keep trying and never giving up on love because God never gives up on us.
  13. Teach him how to forgive. This is one lesson that is often overlooked when it comes to parenting. We are so busy teaching our children not to be bullies, play sports or play an instrument that we forget that they ultimately need to know that forgiveness frees you to move on. If God forgives me for sins how can I not forgive others?
  14. Teach him the importance of family. Your family is what you make it. It’s not always blood, but it could be your friends who become your family. We have a great group of people who love and support us at every turn and we want the same thing for Munch. We want him to see that he needs to strengthen his familial bonds and keep in touch via handwritten letters, emails, calls and visits.
  15. Take him to Spain. I love the country of Spain and even though I can’t remember it much from childhood, I think it is a beautiful place full of great food, people and culture. I want him to swim off the Canary Islands.
  16. Teach him how to cook and sew. I know he’s a boy, but come on. He needs to know how to hem a pair of slacks and cook himself a meal so that he won’t have to wait on a woman to do it. He needs to be self-sufficient.
  17. Teach him the importance of money. I think that all parents should strive to teach your child how to balance a checkbook, credit and debt. It wasn’t a lesson I learned and I had to rebuild. I don’t want him to do a trial and error process. I want him to get it from the beginning. Update: He got his first check from his Grandma last Christmas and I took him to the bank to deposit it. He was so excited. I normally just transfer money into his account each pay period so I guess I never thought how important the whole check and banking thing would be. I’m proud though.
  18. Teach him about politics. Not what political party he should be a part of, but the necessary fundamentals of our government so that he can be a concerned citizen that believes in exercising his right to vote. Update: His dad and I always take him with us to vote. Let him see the democratic process in play. Election day for us is April 26th.
  19. Teach him the lesson of defeat. Life is not fair and you won’t win at everything, but understand that you are the captain of your soul and it’s not always the destination, but the journey. Learn from every loss and regroup. I want him to know that you don’t have to be perfect, just try your best. Update: This is a work in progress. He learned this when it came to getting his first “D” and with losing soccer games. All we ask is that you try your best and your best is always good enough for us. But, this is going to take time because there will be many more losses.
  20. Teach him the importance of abstinence. Abstinence may be a distant memory or myth in some circles and I know he may never listen to me, but I want him to know that his body is a temple and that if he waits on a wife, he will be giving her the best gift ever…the gift of him.
  21. Take him to Las Vegas to celebrate his 21st birthday. I want his last birthday party to be one that I throw for him and 21 of his friends in Las Vegas.
Whew! That is an exhaustive list. I hope that I can cross of all of the things on his bucket list. So, what’s on your child’s bucket list?

18 comments

  2. A great great list! Love all of them. My priority is to teach them about God and introduce them to my religion. I think it’s very important to atleast give them the basics. Traveling to Europe that’s for sure. I want them to experience everything I have experienced with my own parents. They used to take us everywhere.
    Teaching them compassion. Oh and the big one, teaching them to respect women and be chivalry. Something their dad lacks and I’m adamant to make these boys gentlemen 🙂

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    1. Aww, thank you. I think when we have children we should sit back and reflect on what our idea hopes, dreams and aspirations are for our little ones so that we can sort of guide them in that direction. Thanks for responding.

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  5. Psst……don’t tell my mom but would you adopt me? I’m 39 so some of these I can probably already get by on especially the cooking department and I’ve been to Disney…twice… so no worries there. I’ll have Hammy send you my vitals via the back channels. I’ll be packing my bags for Bahamas trip while you are filling out the proper paperwork. Thanks in advance it’s going to be fun :).

    This is an freaking awesome post, seriously where is the D.C. area mom of the year nominating panel located? That kiddo has seen more at his current age than some kids see there whole life. Fluent french already!!!! Kudos to you double T, ok I’m done hijacking the comments. Let me know when the paperwork clears. If you are ever in the Hoosier/Ohio/and….ugh Kentucky area let me know I’ll give munch a proper tour. If we are in Kentucky we will take the fastest route possible to Indiana. Call it the modern day interstate underground railroad. O.K. I’m done great post :).

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    1. LOL. I think it’s illegal to adopt a 39 year old man when you’re 41. I’m not sure, but in DC it’s kinda like that. Yeah, I’m so happy that he speaks french fluently. He still working on some of the big words that he reads that he can’t properly translate but for the most part he can do his own homework and I have to Google Translate for accuracy. He’s a great kid and I’m just happy that his dad is starting to see my push for our son. He fought me on the French Immersion school but said “You were right because he was proud when he heard his son speaking French to his teacher.” He never speaks it at home so seeing him speak it when he was asked a direct question was exciting. Thanks for the kudos Gary and the tweets!

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  7. Pingback: My Article Read (4-26-2016) – My Daily Musing

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