How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your kids?
A few weeks back I was all enthusiastic about celebrating Valentine’s Day with the kids. I stopped into Hobby Lobby (my favorite store besides Target) and bought glittery pastel puffy paint for decorating heart cards, cute old-fashioned picks for cupcakes, heart plate and napkins. I’ve been practicing chocolate heart cookies and making special cherry drinks for the kids. (Cherry 7-Up with cherries in it.)
But after scrounging through closets this week searching for shoe boxes so the kids can make Valentine’s mailboxes and forcing them to write more than 40 Valentine’s between the two of them, I’m feeling a little annoyed with the holiday.
All my mom buddies are doing the same thing. We all had children at the kitchen table on Tuesday night writing out their Valentine’s cards and taping candy to the packages.
Our favorite fill-in host Keith is such a prepared mom she keeps shoe boxes around just for these types of projects. (I never save shoe boxes. Would diaper wipe boxes work? I have plenty of those.)
I’m taking in ice cream sundaes for the kids’ classrooms and special cherry drinks.
I’ve got special meal and dessert planned for Sunday for the family. Heart pancakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, passion fruit juice and of course bacon. (We’re planning to do church on Saturday night so we can sleep in on Sunday.) And then an easy lasagna in a slow cooker for dinner with homemade skillet brownies.
But I don’t have any good inexpensive gift ideas for them yet. I keep thinking about comic books. I know Walsh would love that but I’m not sure about the girls.
How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your kids? Do you celebrate with the kids or is the holiday really meant for couples? Did you have enough darn shoeboxes? How are they celebrating at school? What are some good inexpensive gift ideas?
Bonus: Some Valentine’s Day craft ideas for kids
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118 comments Add your comment
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
February 11th, 2010
7:48 pm
Tiger — I am hurt you don’t actually read what I write — I feel certain you the read the bra entry though!!!
HB
February 11th, 2010
7:52 pm
“I never have understood those who are neither Moms, Dads nor parents hanging around here but that is certainly MY opinion.”
I think I can explain. Theresa does a great job of posting a wide range of topics that have shown to be of interest to parents of children young and grown, to aunts and uncles close to their siblings’ little ones, to people who have worked closely with children and families on a regular basis, and even those who just remember their own experiences in childhood and their own parents’ practices. I commend her ability to spark interesting conversations across this broad group of people everyday.
irisheyes
February 11th, 2010
9:21 pm
You all are going to think I’m the meanest person here, but I was going to bake cupcakes for my class for tomorrow, and I decided not to. They’ve had one of those weeks, and even with warnings that they were going to lose the cupcakes, they have still been off the wall. I’m letting them decorate bags and pass out valentines. Unfortunately, there won’t be a big party in our room.
I’m not doing much here either. My husband and I are ordering out tomorrow, and I may make something special Sunday, but I have to be at church until 12:30, so we’ll see. My kids would love it if I brought McDonald’s home. That’s a big treat to them. We’ve never gone big with holidays here. With boys, they just don’t into it as much.
irisheyes
February 11th, 2010
9:21 pm
OK, last line should read “they just don’t get into it as much”!
Becky
February 12th, 2010
8:24 am
@Tiger..OF course crown..Is there anything else?
@MJG..Thank you..I’ll admit, I’m 48 and ther are still a lot of things that learn every day about kids..I know that I’ve said it before, but I really think that life is way to short to think that you know everything..I hope that I never get to old to learn something new..
JJ
February 12th, 2010
8:24 am
I’ll be taking my mom out for Valentine’s day lunch.
Becky
February 12th, 2010
9:03 am
I took my 2 out for Valentines dinner last night..They are going to stay home with their paretnts this weekend..We had a great time, I took them to Toyko steak house in Douglasville..
Annie
February 12th, 2010
10:19 am
Theresa, are you listening to yourself? You’re forcing your kids to write valentines? You really need to take things down several notches! I understand going overboard for big holiday (Christmas, Thanksgiving) but for a run of the mill hallmark holiday?!
All this unnecessary extra stress you’re putting on yourself is probably the reason you’re sick again. Why not pack it all in, get a sitter and enjoy valentines with your hubby and let the kids worry about it at a later date, if they so wish?
Lady Strange
February 12th, 2010
1:24 pm
I suppose I could get some of the kid cards for my son to make one for his daddy and grandmoms. I’m sure he would enjoy “writing” on them. LOL
irisheyes
February 12th, 2010
1:33 pm
@Annie, I think the Valentines were for passing out at school. It’s not really as abusive as it sounds. They write the child’s name and their own name on a card. My two (7 & 6) did it last night. Took them about 20 minutes or so. (We didn’t tape candy. I figure there will be enough candy passed out.)
Annie
February 12th, 2010
1:59 pm
@ Irisheyes – Did you have to force your kids to do it too or were they willing to do it? I’m not saying that it sounded abusive, I simply meant it sounds like Theresa’s kids just aren’t into it if she had to force them to write them. It’s just a plastic holiday, why force the kids to partake in it if they don’t want to?
mom of three precious kids
February 12th, 2010
3:30 pm
@annie, Children usually like giving and receiving valentine cards. My own daughter did it wed night with my help. She is four and we use this time to practice on writing skills. She loves this. As for my hubby and I, we usually don’t do much. But this year i have something special planned i know he will love.
irisheyes
February 12th, 2010
6:19 pm
@Annie, were they crazy about it? No. But I believe in giving and receiving Valentines, so they had to do it. I had a couple of kids in my class today who didn’t have Valentines to pass out, and you could see the sadness on their faces. Sometimes, you make your kids do things they don’t want to do. Again, it took a total of 20 minutes, so I doubt my kids (or anyone else’s) will be scarred for life. Kids are a lot tougher than we give them credit for.
daniel
February 13th, 2010
7:47 am
i know with my kids i usually have them go to http://www.munchiessweetsandtreats.com and pic out valentine candy for other family members
jan
February 13th, 2010
9:25 am
you need a life with your husband
newblogger
February 13th, 2010
8:53 pm
I don’t get a chance to check the blog very often, but when I do I enjoy reading what Theresa has to say. If you find her so annoying, why are you still here? About Valentine’s Day- to me it’s the same as all other holidays/celebrations…we should show how much we love people every day but Valentine’s Day is a day set aside to celebrate it. Independence Day-we should be patriotic every day but that day is set aside to celebrate it. Thanksgiving-we should be thankful every day but we have a day set aside to celebrate it. You get the idea. Why are some people so angry?
FCM
February 14th, 2010
11:40 am
Made doughnuts for breakfast. The kids were so excite and declared me their Valentine….LOL. At 10 & 8 the days for that are numbered. I have a treat for them for later too. Again, low key and simple. Letting them know I am glad to be their Momma, since I am glad! They are the best. Their grandparents (his) sent them a valentine, stickers, and some plastic jewelry. They were thrilled. I am sure my parents have something for them too. I still have he ceramic figures my Mom gave my brother and I years ago. They are undoubtedly “cheapies” and definately corny (”I give a hoot for you” on the Owl) but they are left over from my own childhood. My brother doesn’t get sentimental like that.
On a better note, my good friend went to Chinese New Year with us last night. Another friend of the Hosts was there, we had met him several times. My friend has toyed about a million times with how she can get this fellows attention. Last night he asked for her digits! See that little spark can happen anytime (she is 43) especially when your not expecting it.
Happy Valentine’s! Spend with someone you love: spouse, kid, friend, parent, or pet.
PattiK
February 14th, 2010
1:45 pm
We have decided to treat our gang to a super fancy dinner. Served by Mom and Dad. They normally treat us to excellent service all throughout the year by dressing up and setting the table with candles and cooking up great food, appetizers to desserts. The love to play restaurant, and they are excellent in the kitchen.
We are always surprised by their generosity, so we are going to surprise them with their own candle light dinner. Then, a goofy movie with popcorn and soda.
Its their turn to be our valentines.