"What do other matches do for fun?"  This is one of the questions I get asked the most by volunteers struggling to find new activity ideas for themselves and their Littles.  In truth, I don't envy these volunteers.  This has to be one of the hardest parts about being a Big.  I'm sure many of us out there can relate to the difficulty of finding new and exciting activities for teens that don't break any rules.  So how do you find these activity ideas?  Well, I am happy to report that I discovered the secret to solving this puzzle one day while talking to a match that has been doing it for eight years.  As it turns out, the answer is right under our noses...

It all started at an interview with the Little from one of my very long standing matches.  It's important to understand that this Little is not so Little anymore at the ripe old age of seventeen.  In an effort to help my Bigs come up with new and exciting outing activities for their Littles, I took this golden opportunity to ask this Little (let's call him Johny) what some of his favorite activities were that he had done with his Big recently.  Johny told me that while he remembers fondly the varied and fantastic activities of their past, he has become the biggest fan of not doing much at all on outings.  Johny patiently explained to me how it doesn't matter anymore what he and his Big do on outings because they always have fun together.  Johny shyly admitted that it is nice just getting to talk to his Big Brother about things that are going on in his life because his Big has been through it already, and always gives good advice.  He said that the nicest part of all is having someone who just "gets him", who he can laugh and spend time with, whether they are driving, walking, cooking, or watching movies.  Johny summed it up perfectly when he said that as long as the "who" and "why" are the same, then the "what, when and where" don't really matter.    

The answer is so simple it is scary.  Stop worrying!  Bigs put a lot of pressure on themselves to come up with great ideas for outings and to always be saying and doing the right things to keep their Littles entertained and enjoying themselves.  The saying "The simplest answer is probably right" definitely applies here.  The truth is that some of the best and most interesting activities for Littles are the simplest and can be found in the everyday. 

If you want to help a Little find that someone to do everyday things with, please check out www.buddyup.ca.