Piglet: How do you spell love?
Pooh: You don’t spell it, you feel it.”
-Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne
Valentine’s Day was meant to be a kid’s holiday. It gets messy and complicated in the hands of adults. But when children are involved, it is fun and pure, full of love and sweets and conversation hearts for everyone. Nobody gets left out, which is the way it is supposed to be.
This Valentine’s Day, let’s all follow our children’s lead and make it a time to be kinder than necessary, to send valentines to all our friends, and to spread as much love as possible throughout the day. Here are some ideas to show your children how much you adore them, starting from the moment they wake up and ending at bedtime.
Leave Morning Love Notes
Write all your favorite things about them on paper hearts and post them throughout the house. Also, tuck the notes into their backpacks and lunch boxes for them to find throughout the day.
Cook a Special Breakfast
Nothing says love quite like a homemade breakfast, except for a homemade breakfast in the shape of a heart. Here are two quick, easy and yummy recipes I recommend: Heart-Shaped Pancakes and Heart Shaped Eggs and Toast.
Create Homemade Valentines Together
Sit down at the table with all of your craft supplies, and spend an afternoon designing handmade cards for your friends and family. Talk to your children about each person you are making a valentine for. Click here for lots of great ideas.
Make Heart-Shaped Pizzas for Dinner
Roll the dough into the shape of a heart as instructed in this recipe and let your kids top their own pizzas with pepperoni, sausage, vegetables and whatever else their heart desires.
Read Sweet, Loving Bedtime Stories
End the day talking to your children about the best part of their holiday and then read them books about love. Two classics that I always go back to are Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Love You Forever by Robert Munsch.
And most importantly, don’t forget to share the love.
