Chicken and Donuts and Cartoons and iPads

Very rarely, the kids have off but I don't.  Now that they're older, it's easier to bring them into the office; the trick is to keep them happy so I can be somewhat productive.

Yesterday was one of those days.  My game plan started with loading them up with homework (not unlike what I do on weekends), enough so that the whole day isn't popcorn and movies, but not too much that they get whiny.  Then I had Amy's iPad and her portable DVD player at the ready, so they could take turns playing games and watching cartoons.

We broke for lunch at noon.  I took them to Federal Donuts down the street, where we bought fried chicken and donuts (fresh and fancy).  We brought them back to the office and they gorged on the chicken and donuts, shooting happy looks to each other that I was letting them eat two donuts each.

When I got asked by client to have a quick call in the mid-afternoon, I sent the kids back into the lunch room with their electronics and told them they could have another donut.  That kept them at bay so I could have my office to myself for my call.

The time went by fast - actually bad, since I had so much to do and I knew it would make the next day even crazier - and soon we were off to Jada's ballet class.

I hope they remember these kinds of excursions with their dad.  And that they'll do the same kinds of things with their kids.