Top Chef in South Florida Celebrate Your Kids! - HERLIFE Magazine

mother’s perspective
Small Feats,
Big Ideas
Everyda y Wa ys
to Cel ebrate
with Your Kids
By Lisa Taranto
M
ost of us can easily recall our favorite Christmas
or our high school graduation. We may even
vaguely recollect toddler birthdays because our
parents were likely to have snapped photographs, recorded
videos, made scrapbook entries or even written a memoir to
note the occasion.
For life’s big events, we tend to place the day on a pedestal
and bring out the big guns to celebrate.
But what about everyday accomplishments—a perfect
score on a math quiz, a day without whining, a clean house?
What about celebrating just being here and happy? How can
we make these petite feats just as memorable, not only for our
children but for us as well?
GET IDEAS
It seems there is a “national day” for everything. Did you
know there is a national Pet Obesity Day, a National Popcorn
Day and a Measure your Feet Day? Find quirky ideas from
online calendars and make your own celebration. Here are a
few ideas to get you started commemorating the small stuff.
GET EXCITED GRANDPA
Grandparent’s Day may sometimes be overlooked.
Celebrate this September holiday any time of the year and
Grandma and Grandpa are sure to be thrilled.
If Mimi and Papa live close by, why not take them a simple
lunch (made by you and your little one) or offer to freshen up
their porch with a few potted plans. If they live a long car ride
away, send them a homemade card.
Set up an online video conferencing tool like Skype® on
both of your computers. You can video chat with them live via
the Internet almost any time of the day.
CHORES DONE
Assigning chores may sound like a chore, but when kids
contribute to household duties, they gain responsibility and feel
like they are helping at home.
Place their chore list in plain sight and have children mark
off their tasks as they complete them. Some children may be
motivated by an allowance, but others may look forward to
a family picnic or movie night to celebrate a week’s worth of
honest work.
AFTER SCHOOL
If you pick your children up after school, play mini
scavenger hunt when they get in the car. Buy a cheap treat
or toy at the dollar store and hide it somewhere reachable in
the back seat. Place a note near your child’s seat with a clue
written on it. For instance, “Billy, look in the spot where you
place your drink in the car.” He will then search the cup holder
to find another clue. Make sure you are safe and that all of
the clues are found without having to unbuckle his seat belt.
The last clue tells him where his treat is located. Although the
sweet surprise only costs a dollar, the memories will be worth
22 HERLIFEmagazine.com