Lessons To Teach Your Kids This Valentine's Day

It's February, and the shelves are lined in red and pink for Valentine's Day.

Have you ever given much thought to the opportunity you have on Valentine's Day to teach kids about love?

I'll be honest, it used to be a fleeting thought, but for the last few years, I've been trying to be more intentional.

Here are some ideas I have picked up that I am passing along to you.

Show Kids They Are Loved With Words

Words matter. The more often kids hear they are loved, the more likely they will believe it.

Valentine's Day makes it easy to show your kids you love them with words.

Write them a note and put it in their lunchbox. Write a message on their bathroom mirror. Say it out loud. Better yet, shout it!

Show Kids They Are Loved With Time

We all know that actions speak louder than words.

In addition to using words on Valentine's Day to express yourself, use your time.

Put down your phone, turn off the TV, and spend some quality one-on-one time with your child.

Do a craft, bake, or enjoy a shared activity together.

Show Kids They Are Loved With Gifts

While kids shouldn't be taught that gifts equal love, a thoughtful gift is a nice gesture of love.

When these gifts come along with your words and attention, they are even more meaningful.

Show Kids How To Love Others

On Valentine's Day, kids give out little valentines to their classmates and friends.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to teach them the importance of showing love to everyone – even people who are different than them.

In addition, they are learning from you how to show love to others. Let them hear you tell your spouse you love him, see you exchange gifts, or spend time together.

Show Kids How To Accept Love

It's also vital that you show kids how to accept love.

Receiving love is essential to our overall well-being.

The easiest way to teach this, beyond showing kids unconditional love, is to accept the love they give you.

This means not wiping off the slimy kisses or resisting hugs. It means hearing their words of love and responding.

Show Kids You Love Yourself

Dee Ray, director of the Center for Play Therapy, explains, "It’s not enough for a parent to love and accept the child for the child to truly learn self-love. [Kids] must also see that the parents love and accept themselves. Watching a parent make mistakes and be imperfect, yet still be loving and accepting of self, is a powerful way to encourage children to love themselves.”

Show Kids It Is More Than One Day A Year

One final Valentine’s Day love lesson for kids – it is more than one day of the year.

Make sure you tell kids that the ways love is expressed on Valentine's Day can (and should) be done throughout the year.

What do you plan to do to make Valentine’s Day special for your kids?

10 Ways to Make Your Kids Feel Loved This Valentine’s Day

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating romantic love. I am a big fan of celebrating marriage, but I also think it is important to model healthy romantic love for my daughters. I want to raise my girls to be independent, strong women, but I also want them to grow up knowing they are worth being cared for and treated special. I think Valentine’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to shower them with love and remind them just how special they are to me.

Now I know all moms are already busy enough, so I have focused on ways you can make kids feel loved that don’t take a ton of time or cost an arm and a leg. Check them out!

Surprise Them with a Valentine’s Card

For kids, Valentine’s Day is all about the valentines they will pass back and forth with classmates. But it will make them feel loved if they find a surprise Valentine’s Day card or a love note from you in their lunchbox.

Make a Special Valentine’s Day Breakfast

Start the holiday off right with a special Valentine’s Day-themed breakfast. Add some food coloring and make pink milk. Cook heart-shaped pancakes and add red and pink sprinkles.

Blow Up Balloons

I don’t really understand, but for some reason, my girls think balloons are the greatest things ever! If you surprise them after school with a helium balloon for Valentine’s Day, you are sure to get a huge hug.

Bake Them a Heart Shaped Treat

Food is not just the way to a man’s heart – kids love special treats just as much! You can keep it simple and make some break and bake Valentine’s Day cookies or bake an extravagant heart-shaped cake.

Hang Up Some Decorations

An easy way to acknowledge the holiday is to hang up some decorations around your home. Head to the Dollar Spot at Target to stock up on cheap (but super cute) decorations or make your own homemade sweethearts to post on your child’s bedroom door.

Treat Them to an At-Home Spa Day

I’ve already taught my daughters the joy of a spa day – at home, that is. Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to treat your kids to some extra pampering. Give them a pedicure or manicure. Or, treat them to s special pink bath with a pink-colored bath bomb.

Share the Love with Others

Valentine’s Day is all about love, but what If you use it as an opportunity to teach your kids to share the love with others? Go shopping for canned goods or hygiene items and drop off donations at a nonprofit organization in your community.

Give Them Their Own Bouquet

I love having fresh flowers in my home. But, for many little girls, receiving a bouquet of fresh flowers is a very grown-up thing. So, this is a super easy and effective way to make your daughter feel loved and grown.

Read Books About Love

Before saying goodnight, pull out one of your old favorite children’s books and read it together. Even if they are “too old,” there is something special about reading “Guess How Much I Love You” or “I’ll Love You Forever” with your not-so-little kid.

Include Them in a Grown-Up Fancy Dinner

Finally, if your Valentine’s Day is more of an at-home affair, include the kids! Let them see what a fancy, at-home date night involves. Light the candles, use the fancy china and pour them a mocktail.

Why Every Woman Needs to Celebrate Galentine’s Day

Ladies, we need one another. It’s been said that “Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” I don’t know where I’d be without my girlfriends. As much as I love my husband and my daughters, I crave alone time with my friends.

As everyone uses February as an excuse to celebrate the ones the love, I absolutely have to include my girlfriends. I love having a special opportunity to celebrate our friendship – now commonly referred to as Galentine’s Day. If you are not familiar with Galentine’s Day, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite holiday.

Why All the Hype Around Galentine’s Day

Galentine’s Day was officially coined by the character Leslie Knope on the television show “Parks and Recreation,” which was celebrated on February 13th (the day BEFORE Valentine’s Day). The character on the show proclaims:

"Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies."

However, even if you are not a fan of the show, you can still celebrate the holiday. Trust us. Galentine’s Day is officially becoming a thing – even Martha Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP feature articles on how to throw a Galentine’s Day party.

5 Wonderful Ways to Celebrate with Your Favorite Gal Pals

For those of us who don’t have the time to pull off a Martha Stewart or Gwyneth Paltrow level soiree for Galentine’s Day, I’ve come up with five things you can do to celebrate the most important women in your life. The ultimate goal is to have fun and celebrate your friendships.

1. A Simple Party at Home

Kick your husband and kids out of the house and host a simple brunch or dinner party for your besties. Choose your favorite foods and make a signature cocktail. You know your crew better than anyone else, so do whatever makes you all happy and relaxed.

2. Enjoy Some Pampering at the Spa

Nothing screams Galentine’s Day as much as getting mani’s and pedi’s with your gal pals. Book appointments for your nearest and dearest in advance and enjoy some pampering at your favorite spa or nail salon.

3. Head to Your Favorite Restaurant

If you don’t want to cook or clean, opt for making a reservation for your group of ladies at one of your favorite restaurants. Just make sure it is a grown-up spot – one you would not usually go to with the kids.

4. Go On a Treat Yo’ Self Shopping Adventure

If your girlfriends love to shop as much as mine, then a shopping trip may be the perfect treat for Galentine’s Day. Empty the trunk and head to your favorite shopping spots. Then, shop ‘til you drop (and fill up those trunks!)

5. Indulge in a Wine Tasting

For the wine lovers, leave the family at home and head to a winery with your closest female friends. If there isn’t a winery nearby, you can host a wine tasting in your home either on your own or with he help of a company like Traveling Vineyard.

7 Things Your Man Actually Wants This Valentine’s Day

Let’s be honest, ladies. Valentine’s Day is really for us. Most men will claim they don’t even want anything at all for Valentine’s Day. But, since Valentine’s Day is the quintessential couples’ holiday, it just feels wrong not to give the man you love something special.

Ultimately, your guy just wants you to show that you love him. How you choose to show him that he still makes your heart beat fast is all up to you, but you can’t go wrong with any of these 7 gifts.

A Day Off

All men want a day off from everything and everyone now and then. As adults, it is harder than ever to get away from it all. If your man is always busy at work and then coming home to complete a honey-do list around the house, give a coupon for a day off. It will show him you love him and appreciate how hard he works.

A Good Meal Cooked by You

A fancy dinner out is always nice, but most men will be just as happy (maybe even more so) with a home cooked meal. Choose to cook his favorite dishes or order a meal kit from Hello Fresh.

Beer, Wine, Whiskey

A man will never scoff at his lady gifting him his favorite spirit. Just be sure you splurge on something nicer than what he normally buys. He will be impressed with your knowledge of his tastes and your willingness to spoil him.

Tickets to a Sports Game or Comedy Show

Look for tickets to an upcoming show that he will love – even if it doesn’t take place on Valentine’s Day. Giving him tickets to see his favorite team play or hear his favorite comedian live will be an experience he will never forget.

His Favorite Sweet Treat

A way to a man’s heart is his belly – even in small doses. Your man will know you love him if you give him his favorite sweet treat such as baking his favorite cake or showing up with doughnuts from his favorite shop.

A Love Letter

Women are often the ones on the receiving end of love letters, but men love them just as much. Your husband will be overcome with emotion as he receives a beautifully written love letter from his wife. Take time to be sure your letter is full of compliments, affirmations, and funny inside jokes. It will be a gift he never throws away and rereads year after year.

S-E-X

Come on, you know I had to say it. What your man wants the most is some alone time with you in between the sheets! Honestly, you don’t even have to give him a gift if you turn up the heat in the bedroom.

So, ladies, what do you plan to give your man this Valentine’s Day? Is there a gift you have given your husband that he loved? Let me know in the comments.

10 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Your Kids

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. While Valentine’s Day is typically a celebration for couples, it provides parents with a special chance to show their children how much they love them. Since it seems like my girls were just bombarded with gifts at Christmas, I try not to overwhelm them with gifts at Valentine’s Day. Instead, I look for ways to show them how much I love them without giving them one more stuffed animal.

Here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with kids:

1. Tell Your Love Story

My daughters love to hear about how mommy and daddy fell in love. This is such a simple thing to do, but it is also a special way to teach kids about loving relationships.

2. Add a Heart to Their Door Each Day

Photo: 4theloveoffamily.com

Rather than celebrating only on February 14th, I like to look for ways to celebrate all month long. One thing I’ve come across online is adding paper hearts to your child’s door each day with a brief compliment or expression of your love. By the end of February, their actual hearts will be full of love.

3. Write Messages on Mirrors

Similarly, make a point of surprising your kids with a sweet message on the mirror. Just writing “You are so beautiful!” or “I love your smile!” will go a long way in building your child’s self-confidence.

4. Take Your Child on a Date

Daddy-daughter dates are all the rage, but I don’t think this is something just for dads and daughters. I think parents should always strive to spend some quality time alone with each child now and then. For example, I like to take each daughter out for a special mom-daughter date to get our nails done.

5. Treat them to a Grown-Up Meal at Home

Your kids will feel so special if you treat them to a special grown-up meal at home like breakfast in bed or a fancy dinner complete with candles. Whenever I do something like this, my girls feel so grown!

6. Put Love Notes in Their Lunchboxes

I always try to leave a little note in my daughter’s lunch boxes, but for February, I am focusing on writing notes that tell them all the reasons I love them.

7. Make Heart Shaped Pancakes

Embrace the hearts and all Valentine’s Day themed baking supplies. Simply having heart shaped pancakes or eating a cupcake decorated with hearts will make the holiday feel more special.

8. Snuggle and Read Books About Love

Life gets busy, so it is important to find little moments when you simply snuggle with your little loves. Grab a warm blanket, a book about love, and snuggle up close.

9. Eat a Red-Themed Dinner

Create a meal that corresponds to the Valentine’s Day color palette. Choose red and pink foods and watch as your kids giggle and eat every bite on their plates.

10. Go on a Valentine’s Day Themed Scavenger Hunt

Put together a simple scavenger hunt around your home with paper hearts and clues. It is up to you to decide what treasure the hunt will lead to, but in our house, I’m leaning towards chocolate.