How to Build Lasting Memories with Your Kids

Audio By Carbonatix

(and Why a Trip to Realm Makers Might Be the Best One Yet!)

As a homeschooling mom of ten, I’ve learned that the best lessons don’t always come from a textbook. The most impactful, the most lasting—the ones our kids talk about years later—often come from the shared experiences that knit our hearts together.

So, how do we build those kinds of memories? Let me offer you a few tried-and-true ways that have worked in our home:

Read Great Books Together

There’s something powerful about shared stories. Whether it’s reading The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, The Green Ember series by S.D. Smith, or 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson, these kinds of books light a fire in kids’ imaginations. And yours too!

You’ll find yourself cheering, tearing up, and turning pages long after bedtime. These are NOT dull stories. I found myself saying, “Let’s read one more chapter.”

Get Excited About What Excites Your Kids

When your child starts quoting Wingfeather characters or doodling dragons in the margins of their math book, lean in. Ask questions. Join the adventure. When we validate our kids’ interests, especially their love of fantasy, gaming, and storytelling, we’re telling them: You matter. What you love matters.

Travel Together

Getting away from your normal routine opens the door for a deeper connection. Even if it’s just a weekend away, the shared experience becomes something your family talks about for years. (Remember that weird hotel breakfast? That cosplayer dressed like Gollum? That sketch show that had us laughing ’til our sides hurt?)

Say Yes to Family Adventures That Inspire Creativity

This is why I’m thrilled to tell you about Realm Makers 2025 – A Fan Convention for Christian Storytellers happening July 18–20 in Grand Rapids, MI.

It’s not just for writers or gamers or superfans. It’s a place where Christian families who love imaginative stories gather, laugh, learn, and dream together. It’s a space where your child will feel seen… and where you’ll probably get inspired too.

Here’s what makes Realm Makers a must-attend:

Live Performances & Sneak Peeks

• The Main Street Music Show: A live audio drama sketch comedy (think Adventures in Odyssey meets SNL—for Christians!)
  
• Exclusive previews of Wingfeather Saga Season 3 and Light of the World, a new faith-based fantasy film.
  

Featured Authors Your Kids Love

• S.D. Smith (Green Ember) – He’ll be there LIVE!
  
• N.D. Wilson (100 Cupboards) – One of the best storytellers of our time.
  
• Brent Weeks (NYT Bestselling Fantasy Author)
• Mike Nawrocki (Larry the Cucumber and author of The Dead Sea Squirrels series) 
• And even someone from the world of League of Legends!
• And my son Nathan and I will be there, too!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Fun for the Whole Family

Costumes, games, art, books, and new friends for every age.

Bonus: Kids 11 and under are FREE!

Register Here Now!

So here’s your invitation: Plan a family adventure that will speak to your child’s heart, stir your own imagination, and bring you closer together. Sometimes we connect best with our kids when we dare to enter their world.

Let this summer be the one where your child says, “Remember when we went to Realm Makers?” You won’t regret it.

Resources

The Clockwork Chronicles

I fell in love with Christian fantasy so much that I started writing speculative fiction with my son Nathan! Our first novel, Breath of Bones, is a fantasy-based WWII story featuring a Jewish golem who protects innocent people from Nazi invaders.

And our newest book—Flight of Fate—releases June 5, 2025! It’s a steampunk WWII adventure packed with spies, skyships, ancient secrets, and high-stakes missions across Europe.

Fun fact: Nathan and I plotted the first chapters of Flight of Fate over a giant bowl of popcorn on a Saturday night. Writing it together has been one of my favorite mother-son adventures yet!