Marketing Madness

Don't even worry about it.  I'm totally writing a blog post.

So the other day I said something in passing to Shane that went like this, "Yeah, Owen wants to have Scott over for Friendly Friday so I had to...."

Shane: "Wait. What? Friendly Friday?  What the heck is that?"

And so I had to explain, not just "Friendly Friday", but what I have figured out works wonders with my kids...for them and for me.

I market everything to them.

Yep. I've become a marketing whiz.  Does anyone want to hire me?  I have some really fabulous ideas. :)

I think it started with swim skillz.  We gave it a name.  It became an actual "thing", so if we missed it we didn't just miss going to the YMCA to work on our swimming, we missed SWIM SKILLZ.  It was a real thing and we didn't want to miss it.  In the simple act of naming it became more important, more significant.  And suddenly I was understanding marketing a little bit more.  Why iPads/iPhones/iPods etc are so cool, in part, is because of the name.  It's not just a small little computer, it's an iPad.  Bam!

So I have developed names for real things we do and suddenly they become more real, cool, important and fun.  That's how "Friendly Friday" came to be.

Play dates these days are no longer an easy affair.  Gone are the days of living in the neighborhood with all the kids you go to school with.  We are blessed with cousins close by so we can play with them, but I want the kids to know how to make friends with other people too.  We live a good 8.5 miles away from the school and any neighborhoods that feed into it.  So play dates require me tracking down the mom of the child my child has selected as their "Friendly Friday Friend", getting a phone number, actually connecting with them on the phone, and then working out the details of pick ups and drop offs.  It's no easy feat to say the least.  It usually takes a few days to actually speak to the mom.  And I have to do this for all three kids.  It's awesome.  I do feel it is important for them to connect with their peers outside of school.  But I also know that the headache of doing all of this calling and setting up is annoying and just the thought of it makes me want to take a nap on the couch.  So for my own sake I gave it a name and a place: Friendly Friday, every other friday.  This did two things: 1. It made me feel like I have to follow through and 2. It gave the kids something they really look forward to.

Now my kids tell me who they want to have over for Friendly Friday like it's every day phraseology--catchy isn't it?

It's ok.  You can use it too. :)