My best friend, Kathryn, and I have kids around the same age. Needless to say, even though we live 45 minutes apart, we spend a lot of time together and the kids have grown up like brother and sister. I've tried a few past times to bond with my son, Giuliano: riding scooters at the skate park, playing Pokémon GO, getting a dog, coding at Code Ninjas, Kiwi Tinker Crates, watching TV shows that we both look forward to... But lately, my attempts pale to the lure of video games. Biking seems like a chore, Kayaking tandem-style made both of us angry, and doing yard work together doesn't seem to be catching on either. *sigh* So, now I'm on a quest to find things to do with my 10 year old that we BOTH enjoy. Kathryn has had a similar journey.

When Kathryn was pregnant and found out she was having a girl, I remember she was worried about her daughter being a "girly girl," because Kathryn herself was pretty basic - doesn't wear make-up, doesn't pluck her eyebrows, isn't trendy when it comes to fashion, etc. Well, as luck would have it, she had a "girly girl." Aubrie has always loved the princess toys, played dress-up with wigs, and has been a sassy gymnast for the past 6 years.

Both of their birthdays are in August (along with mine!) and, last year, Kathryn thought it would be fun to get Aubrie a ukulele and take lessons together, so she got one for herself too. On Aubrie's birthday, Kathryn came out strumming Happy Birthday (thanks to YouTube) and the plan was set. However, when it came time to find someone to give them lessons, they were all being done virtually. With school and gymnastics already being virtual, Kathryn couldn't stand the thought of one more thing for her daughter to go through via a screen. So, the ukuleles lie in waiting.

Still wanting to do something with her daughter that interested the both of them, they found horseback riding! Listen in to hear about Kathryn's parent-child hobby journey. (Note that if you mention this podcast to Roxy at Sweet Rock Stables, she'll give you $10 off your first lesson.)

What hobbies have you tried with your child? Did it stick? Let us know in the comments below.