JERMYN, Pa. — Between all the games kids can play on their smartphones and iPads, or even all the TV shows out there these days, it can be tough sometimes for parents to sneak in some one-on-one time with their children.
But a mother-son duo from Lackawanna County found a way to create special adventures together.
It was a photo on Facebook, like this one from Savannah Stevens and her son Carter of Jermyn on Facebook, that really got Newswatch 16's attention.
A simple trip for ice cream on a Sunday became quite the special tradition.
When you’re a third-grader like Carter Stephens, most kiddos are pretty dialed into TikTok, video games, or just hanging with friends. And many moms and dads would probably agree that pulling their children off those devices is not always easy.
But Carter’s mom, Savannah, has made it a point since 2017 to reserve one day of the week to take each of her two sons on separate little adventures. Their times together are something Carter and his mom really cherish:
"I can sit down and just focus on him and listen to what he's doing in school, who his friends are, and what kind of relationship he has with his friends," Savannah Stephens said.
Whether it was taco Tuesdays or seafood Wednesdays, the small outings with the Stephens sons have been making a big impact on this family from Jermyn.
For Carter, his mom has given him a whole new Reason To Smile by creating something special over the past several months they call "Sunday Sundae Son Day."
"It's something that he can look forward to, and it's not a lot of pressure, so if he wants to spend quality time with his friends throughout the week, I don't pressure him. He goes out, and he knows that Sunday's our day," Savannah said.
And on Sundays, the pair always visits a different local ice cream shop. Carter will even rate each place based on flavor, cost, décor, and location. Although it’s a tasty time for Carter’s mom, it’s become an opportunity to get to know her son even better.
"He likes to talk about what's going on with TikTok videos, and he can share to me the current events of what's important in the mind of a nine-year-old," Savannah said.
Ryan asked Carter why is one-on-one time is so special.
"Cause it’s better than just having your entire family there. You get to spend time with one person, then everyone," Carter said.
But Carter admits there’s also another reason why he just likes one-on-one time with mom, minus dad and his sibling.
"My brother cannot annoy me. That's an honest answer," Carter said.
It's these separate adventures that have really brought all the members of this family together.
"My husband spends one on one time with Carter and our older son Donnie, and now they appreciate that, and they look forward to that. And I really hope that we do this when he's older. I said to my husband, I hope he's in college, and he calls me, and he says, let's zoom or virtually, or why don't you come in, and we're going to have one of our special date days," Savannah said.
It's something as simple as a “date day” with mom that creates lasting memories for a lifetime.