October 26, 2013
How Do You Make Your Children Feel Special?
The seasons are changing, and I don’t know about you, but the move into fall elicits all sorts of feelings of “hominess.” Fall is comforting, warm, and there’s a certain sort of affection that drives this time of year — cuddling with our children, holding chilly hands, and bundling them up in all sorts of cold-weather gear. It’s a time for giving, for sharing, and celebrating a time of year that is generally pretty feel-good.
It got us thinking about our children, and the ways in which we could go above and beyond to show them how much we care about them, and to make them feel really special. This is especially important if you have more than one child, because it’s good to focus on them individually, planning special activities that highlight their particular interests or skill sets. In the spirit of giving, here are a few things you can do with your child to really make them feel special.
1. Lunch accessories
When you’re a kid, lunch is a pretty great time of day, and there’s nothing sweeter than customizing your child’s lunch box with little notes, bags or accessories to make them feel really special (and to make all the other kids jealous.) Changing it with the season gives them something to look forward to, and adds a touch of celebration to upcoming events. Lisa Leakes from the blog 100 Days of Real Food has an amazing series about what she puts in her children’s lunchbox everyday. Her tips on school lunches, including her favorite lunch supplies (the little monster bags that she packages someone of their food in are beyond adorable) and a full recipe index of kid-friendly lunch foods is an awesome resource.
2. Date nights
I’ll never forget a week when I was a kid where my mom took me to a movie one night, and I loved it so much that my dad took me the next. Just me — none of my younger siblings. Even though I was young, I recognized how special it was to be taken on an individual date with each of my parents on a weeknight, and the fact that they took such special care to make it an experience between just them and me. Another favorite tradition was when my mother let us skip school on our 13th birthday, and then she took us on a day-date, doing whatever we wanted to do (I had my cartilage pierced and got a an airbrushed manicure, obviously.) Key in to your children’s interests and create unique experiences tailored just for you and them. It will make them feel so very special, and they’ll never forget it.
3. There are certain things you just can’t ever say enough
Like I love you! To this day, I do not end a phone call with my mother without saying I love you, and every time she sends me something in the mail, its accompanied with a glowing card about how proud she is of me, how much she loves and supports me. And those cards, those moments of thoughtfulness that are so genuine, always mean more than any gift. There are so many children growing up in situations where there is no one to tell them they love them, or that they’re smart, talented and beautiful. That is a crime, and as parents, we should be working to save as many children (especially, our own) from that reality as possible.
4. Be present when you’re with them.
In this day and age, it is so easy to be distracted by a million different things. Cell phones, computers, iPads, iPods, the TV…the possibilities truly are endless. Kids are smart. They are intuitive, and then know when they’re not being listened to. The best gift you can give your child is that of time, and true attention. It is a free and invaluable way to connect to your child.
