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For Valentine’s Day

2019 February 7
by WWGD

Valentine’s Day is one week away and if you are like most moms in America right now, you have the holiday on your to-do list. You have to go to Target and find some sort of cheap bag of themed candy or cartoon-adorned cards and you will wonder why they never come in packs big enough to suit a class of 26 so you don’t have to buy three. Or you’re on Pinterest, pondering whether to mix some homemade love potion concoction and put a cute sticker greeting on it or to glue a pencil to a piece of paper printed with a pun about love and friendship.

I see you, mama. I have been there myself. I understand.

It’s another Hallmark holiday that has, frankly, gotten a little out of control with its expectations of bucket loads of candy and perfectly Pinterest-worthy greetings and crafts that…don’t get me started on the crafts. It’s hovering on your to-do list alongside make a dinner reservation and buy your husband a book and don’t forget about the heart-shaped pancakes with whipped cream and pink-tinged milk that you need to serve that morning. Obviously.

But here’s what I challenge you to do a little differently this year. You (and surely your kids) may love the candy. You may love the creative ideas on Pinterest. Heck, you may even loveĀ the over–priced prix fixe dinner because it gives you an excuse to get out on a weeknight, sans kids. But I want to encourage you – and more importantly, your child – to take this Valentine’s Day and make it a little different. A little more meaningful. To actually make it about…love.

Last year, my kids wrote real Valentine’s. To each and every kid in their class. A short note that said – I think you’re hilarious. Or you’re so great at baseball, I love playing with you. Or I love how you helped me out with that thing that time. Or simply, you’re a good friend.

It seemed daunting at first, yes. My son wanted to give out baseball card greetings and my daughter wanted to give out mini packs of Skittles. But when I gave them some red paper, scissors, stickers and enough time and encouragement to sit and think about something – just one thing – they could say about every kid in their class, they had fun with it. They thought about it. They took it to heart. Pun intended.

Their friends missed out on one more pack of candy, sure. But I venture to guess that they got a little smile out of our Valentine’s, too. That even if they didn’t fully appreciate it in the holiday haze of first grade, they would remember that personal greeting down the road. That hopefully they, in turn, would think about spreading a little love on this holiday instead of just another greeting that their mom made for them to pass out anonymously.

Other great ideas? Find a neighbor who may be feeling lonely this season and deliver a simple bouquet of inexpensive flowers with a greeting. Send your own girlfriends a heartfelt card to remind them that you appreciate them. Tie red heart balloons with sweet messages and leave them anywhere you can. Pass them out to strangers in the coffee shop. Make it feel personal, even if it’s not. And have your kids witness it all. Because if there is one thing this world needs more of right now, it’s not just love. It’s children who are being taught not only to feel it, but to spread it. To show it. To encourage it. To shout it from the rooftops and share it with a friend. And that doesn’t start at Target or on Pinterest. It starts with us. At home. Wherever that may be. With a piece of paper, a kind word and a tiny red heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends. Make it a good one. x


2 Responses
  1. February 10, 2019

    I love crafts, but I’m also aware of the keeping up with Pinterest atmosphere surrounding them. Thanks for the reminder of giving something from the heart this Valentine’s Day (pun intended). By the way, it’s great to see you posting more often.

    • WWGD permalink*
      February 13, 2019

      Thank you so much — and thank you for taking the time to stop by here. Happy Valentine’s Day! x

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