Don't you ever wish you could freeze a delicious family moment in time? Tuck that newborn smile in your pocket and save it for a rainy day? Upon the occasion of Valentine's Day I have some ideas to treasure the family luv forever...and do it for free.
TAKE A PICTURE
Most of us have digital cameras - and since you aren't paying for film - you can shoot to your heart's desire for FREE. Get your photographer groove on and take some pictures! Take a bunch! Candid. Formal. Silly. Individual and en famille. Pictures are a great way to freeze time.
If your kids' are old enough (and steady enough) give them the camera and allow them to take pictures from their point of view.
Family photograph on Valentine's Day could be the start of a family tradition!
MAKE A HAND PRINT
This is what I'm doing this weekend... I'm plunging my 10 year old, 7 1/2 year old and 7 week old's hands in some paint to make some artwork (and souvenirs).
If you have a bountiful art closet like I do - you may already have paints and canvas from the dollar store. If you don't plain old paper and pencil will do fine.
Hand prints are free and so personal - you can't help but love them.
DRESS FOR LOVE
Get out those ring bearer suits and flower girl dresses that have only been worn once and wear them tonight!
At my house, we (and by "we" I mean "me") allow the kids to chose what grown-ups wear...they love choosing ties for Papa and fancy clothes for me. (Note: You can certainly steer your kids towards which fancy clothes to chose. I will be steering the kids towards a black peepboo breastfeeding top because I hate being "all out" at the table...sorry honey, even though it's Valentine's Day...dinner will be G rated).
Moving on...the kids get into their own little ball gowns, we set the table with the "good" table cloth, we put milk in wine glasses and then sit down to an everyday, easy, meal (probably spaghetti).
"Special" occasions are few and far between...make use of those fancy clothes before the kids grow out of them!
And finally, if you need last minute valentine's for your kids, partner or the class...Google "printable valentines" and you will get many a choice of free valentine's to print out on demand.
Spread the luv!
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Home made bath fizzies are a cool activity for tween girls (and practical because puberty can be smelly). Better than pin-the-tail on Justin Bieber. Promise!
Now I'll admit - I haven't tried making them....yet...I'm sharing the "recipe" here with you - which was shared with me by a friend - who did make them.
See the picture? Fantabulous!
This could be done as a birthday party activity or have the birthday girl do them before hand and make them the loot bags for a spa party.
You'll need:
1/2 cup of citric acid (available at health/natural food stores)
witch hazel (not a real witch)
Essential oil (again - health/natural food stores. Think peppermint, lavendar, cedarwood, lemon, orange, rose...)
1 cup baking soda (your pantry)
bowl - stainless steel or glass (plastic will soak up the essential oil)
spray bottle (dollar store)
a mold for the fizzies (nows the time to visit the recycling bin...clean individual applesauce containers, yogurt containers, plastic egg cartons...would all work)
Here's How:
1. Have the kids mix the citric acid and baking soda really, really well (no lumps, clumps or bumps!).
2. Add a few drops of your chosen essential oil. (According to my Google research -some home made bath bomb recipes suggest food colouring to make the fizzie pretty. However, food colouring could stain some tubs...so perhaps go for the au natural colour and save a purple bath tub ring!)
3. Fill the spray bottle with the witch hazel and LIGHTLY spray the fizzie mixture until it is moist enough to form balls.
4. Scoop the moist fizzie mixture into your container molds. They need to dry for a night before they can be removed from the container - thus the reusable (applesauce, yogurt, egg) containers should be sent home with party goers.
Voila! This is a great #LootBag, #BirthdayPrezzie, #Mother'sDay activity n'est pas?!
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It is a fantastic debate...withdraw from the paid workforce for family care giving or opt-out of the playground years to provide for the family. Katy Read's recent article, "Regrets of a Stay-at-Home Mom" (salon.com) re-sparked the debate of stay-at-home vs work-in-the-world. So what will it be?...play ground or pay cheque?
Mothers are generally, historically and stereotypically the main caregivers in a household. As such, Ms. Read opted-out of full-time work to care for her children. However, after 14 years of stay-at-home-dom (during which time she did work as a part-time freelance writer), she regrets her decision; feeling a financial crunch and hitting her career glass ceiling.
This article hits home to me because I, too, have struggled with that same debate of whether to stay-at-home or work-in-the-world. We (and I say we because this was a joint decision by my DH and myself) finally decided that it was best for our growing family that I stay-home after my 2nd child was born. And I will freely admit - I have regrets.
I have regretted taking my kids to amusement parks because the crowds were crazy.
I have regretted hosting play dates which caused more clean-up than fun.
I have regretted driving in snowstorms to kids' Karate classes.
But I have never, ever, regretted opting-in to the playground years.
It is a privilege to have the option to stay-at-home. An option many parents do not have. And I think Ms. Read misses this. It's difficult to read the grumbles of someone who was able to enjoy the playground years and successfully work part time. I know a few Moms & Dads who would give their right arms (and a bit of their left too) to have the option to have more time for family...without a minute of regret.
One doesn't commit career suicide because one exercises the option to stay-home. And alternatively, one is not a bad parent if they chose to return to full time, in-house, employment if they love their job.
I don't believe there is a clear solution to the great debate as to whether to stay home or not. However, I do know there should be no self-pity in parenthood. One should never lament "what if" but simply conclude "what now".
Without regret.
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