Family Time Friday- Valentine’s Day

I’ve talked a lot on the blog about traditions and the importance of them.  I’ve talked about how they build confidence and security in our children, and even in us as adults.  So, it’s appropriate to talk about Valentine’s Day today and give some ideas of how you can celebrate the day with your kids too . 

Valentine’s Day is about love.  The advertisers like to make it about buying a big diamond something for your wife or else she’ll hate you.  But that’s not at all what it’s about.  It’s about love, and that has nothing to do with the size of a diamond or extravagant gifts.  While the history of Valentine’s Day does involve lovers sharing their love for each other, it is completely appropriate to celebrate it with our children as well- sharing our love for them.  This is a great site, by the way that shares the history of Valentine’s Day in detail . 

Here are some ideas of ways to celebrate the day with your children:

• Fill up a bouquet of red, white, and pink balloons with notes to your children about what you love most about them, what you admire about them.  Hang them on the wall or lay them out in the living room floor, and have them pop the balloons to read the notes.
• Make a candy scavenger hunt for them.  Provide them with a note with a piece of candy that gives instructions on where to find the next note.  After following the hints to several notes have them end at a final prize of a larger piece of candy, or other gift.
• Make a “red-themed” dinner, eating only red food.
• Make or purchase valentines for close friends or family.  Go to their house and leave the Valentine on the step.  Ring the doorbell and run and hide so they don’t see you when they retrieve their Valentine!
• Have siblings draw names out of a jar of their other siblings and have them each write a note to the person they drew about the things they admire most about them.
• Instead of purchasing Valentine’s cards for your kids’ classmates, plan some time to sit together and make them. 
• Write out a candy poem to your children- replacing certain words with candy bars.  “I’d give 100 Grand for you” etc…

I hope this has given you some ideas of ways to celebrate the day   If you have any other traditions you celebrate at your house I’d love for you to leave them in the comments section for other readers!

Happy Valentine’s Day!