Patterson Park Playground by Flickr user Jeff Kubina

Last weekend, the weather was almost perfect for going to the local park. The sun was bright, the sky was clear and there was just a bit of chill in the air.

There are a lot of ways to ruin your tween’s park experience, though.

Prime examples include:

*Not bringing snacks/water – Bringing snacks and water is important for any outing, but especially for going to the park. Kids run around and get sweaty and thirsty. More important than bringing the snacks is making the child eat them, instead of whining their way to a fast food place.

*Being “that dad” – We’ve all seen “that dad” out and about…He’s the guy that’s wearing an obnoxious T-shirt or is otherwise inappropriately dressed. He’s loud and often ordering the children to “have fun” and “go play” in a pressured tone. Don’t be that dad. Or that mom, for that matter.

*Paying more attention to your park companion than your kid – I witnessed this one recently. A fellow and his significant other (wife, girlfriend, something) were at the park with a tweenager. The adults were constantly kissing, hugging, in deep quiet conversation and the child was pretty much ignored. If she came over to ask them a question, she was quickly ordered off to play. Don’t hover over your kids, but pay attention to them. It’s really all they want.

*Giving in too soon – Don’t be the parent that gives in too soon at the park, especially if your child asks to leave. Chances are that she’ll be bored by the time you get to the car.

*Making the kid leave too soon – Conversely to the above, don’t make your child leave before she’s ready, unless you have other things to do. You’re looking at a time bomb there.

*Having crazy rules – Outside time should be freeplay for your child. Don’t have crazy rules. Let them explore the world around them a bit. Pay attention, of course…But let them be free for a while.

*Not making your kid wear appropriate clothes – This should be a no-brainer, but if it’s chilly, don’t let your kid run around in a shorts and a T-shirt. They may not want to wear pants, but be the adult and look out for them.

I’ve committed a few of these and I’ll bet some of you have, too. Everyone ruins a trip to the park once in a while. Just realize when it’s you and try not to embarass your kids too much.

Have you had a bad park experience? Share your ideas, suggestions and questions in the comments.

Photograph by Thomas Brock and his trusty iPhone; Gingerbread Woman by Mini

It’s almost Christmas! And that means those of us who aren’t in the financial category of “too wealthy to care” are having to make a dollar stretch further than normal this time of year. That makes finding cheap entertainment more important than normal.

So, here’s what we did last weekend and how we saved some money.

Saturday morning we splurged on breakfast and ate at Cracker Barrel. I love their food and their prices aren’t completely insane, but I’ll enjoy eating there much more in January when the NC smoking ban is in force. Cost for three breakfasts: $30.

After eating, we trucked home to fetch a few non-perishable food items and went to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. They were having a food drive and each item allowed one free admission. Total cost: $0. Total value: $20ish.

On the way back to Jacksonville, we stopped at Harrika’s Brew Haus for some popcorn. We noticed a new food item there, too: Mo’s Bacon Bar. It’s a piece of bacon covered in chocolate. We didn’t get it, mostly because of the $10 price tag, but it made for a good chuckle.

After the Aquarium, we went out for a late lunch/early dinner. AM had recently been given a gift card for Red Robin so we took advantage of it. Mini enjoys eating there and even got a free balloon. Total cost: $25. Total value: $40ish.

After dinner, we went home, popped popcorn and watched the holiday classic “A Christmas Story” on DVD.

Sunday morning, we had a cheap breakfast of French eggs and sausage while watching Phineas and Ferbon Netflix (That show never ceases to crack AM and me up!). We picked up some CD’s from the library, decorated gingerbread men and had a late lunch/dinner of Chicken Parmesan (mostly homemade by AM). By the time dinner was over, it was time for Mini to head home.

There’s plenty to do when you’re trying to save money…And we didn’t even break into the board games!

How do you entertain your tweens while not breaking the bank? Ask questions, share your ideas and ask questions in the comments.