Are there certain things you want to do with your kids before they grow up?
Lately I've been encouraging my sons to make their own '20 by 20' bucket lists.
My older son, S-Man, just ran his first 12K trail run, and next he wants to learn Chinese.
My younger one, Roo, wants to hand-tame a wild bird, and to learn to ride a horse.
Here's my '20 by 20' of things I want to do with the kids before they leave home.
1. Ride scooters on a jetty
I don't know what the appeal of this is, but I guess it's the risk of falling in the drink!
2. Sleep out under the stars
I'm picturing either the involvement of a trampoline, or a beach. Or both.
3. Travel to Asia
I want to take them to my old hometown in Indonesia, where people might not have dishwashers and vacuum cleaners and electric washing machines, but they're still happy, kind and generous.
4. Travel to the nation's capital
Visit the hallowed halls of Parliament, check out the galleries and War Memorial, visit Questacon and the Mount Stromlo Observatory, plus tour the miniature world of Cockington Green.
5. Visit Savoy Baths
Even kids deserve to relax, unwind and be pampered.
6. Swim at night, in the dark
In the dead of winter! Brr!
7. Give them a 'Yes Day'
My kids love it when I do this. It's when I say yes to any request (within reason). Ice cream for breakfast? Well... yes!
8. Be craned up and dropped into a giant Finnish blueberry pie
Okay, I concede this one might be impossible. But we could pick wild blackberries for pie.
9. Grow native plants for food
We've really been inspired by this book: Eat Wild Tasmanian.
10. Teach them to ski
I'm a pretty crap skier myself (snow plough all the way) but skiing is way too much fun to miss. Plus: hot chocolates.
11. Celebrate Christmas in July
Reindeer. Pine trees. And more opportunities for Finnish blueberry pie.
12. Ride bodyboards down the dunes at Crescent Beach
This one is super scary. I'll just close my eyes.
13. Watch a marathon of Pinky and the Brain episodes
I just love how Brain fails every time in his evil plans to take over the world, but he never gives up. #motivation
14. Read aloud to them while they still want me to
Nothing marks the passing of time more than when it's you asking your kids to read.
15. Slide down a banister
Somehow, this is just something we've never actually done. How did we miss that??
16. Take Annie The Destroyer to more cafes
Annie is our exuberant dog. Not a designer dog at all. Much scruffier. Taking her to posh cafes is like taking one of Hyacinth Bucket's uncouth relatives. But the kids love it!
17. Force them to watch a slideshow of all 15,428 baby and toddler photos
This one I'm saving for their 18th birthdays, especially because about 14,999 of those photos are embarrassing. Seriously though, what's the point in taking all those photos if you never look at them?
18. Create 'Mum's World' in Minecraft and whip their behinds
Believe me, I know everything there is to know about Minecraft TNT cannons. I have listened until my eyes bleed and my ears explode.
19. Teach them to use chopsticks
S-Man has finally got it. Roo... not so much. Does using it like a Harry Potter wand count?
20. Write them a special letter, to tell them how much I love them
You can read my Open Letter To My Children here.
What's on your 20 by 20? I'd love to know your ideas. Have you done any of the above ideas already? Please let us know in the comments (especially if you've been dropped into a pie).
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