Erika

This Valentine’s Day create some traditions with your family that inspire love and connection. Although often considered a holiday focused on “courtly love,” Valentine’s Day gives us the opportunity to remember and share all our loved ones. After all, family and God are at the heart of any happy courtship. Family togetherness on the holiday is a goal for many families, but what to do with your time together can be more of a challenge. Family traditions help promote a shared experience and build memories. Traditions can give kids a sense of belonging, which can also have a protective effect against commercialism and negative current culture norms. Yet, too many “things to do” every year will only result in an unpleasant pressured rush, not a relaxed, enjoyable holiday. So, how do you achieve that balance of shared family experience without over burdening yourself or others with a “to do list” for the holidays? Look for opportunities that fit naturally with your family. As homeschoolers we are uniquely positioned to take full advantage of Valentine’s Day. We already spend our time learning together and sharing experiences. For most of us, learning more about why Valentine’s Day is celebrated is a natural sequelae to our homeschool day. Placing an extra focus on giving and accepting love and kindness is an effort that benefits us all year-long. Please note that Amazon affiliate links have been included for your convenience when books are mentioned. Learn About Valentine’s Day Celebrations Culturally, Valentine’s Day has become commercialized with a sole focus on romantic love. This narrow view highlighting the importance of finding a significant other and having a perfect relationship can be disconcerting for many children (and parents). Having a more global view of the origin of Valentine’s Day and traditions anchored in family and Christ can be comforting as one moves through the formative years. Origin of Valentine’s Day While there is some debate as to the specifics of the origin of Valentine’s Day, there is believed to have been at least one Saint Valentine. “Saint Valentine,” by Robert Sabuda is a wonderful picture book that shares some of the commonly held beliefs about this man and his life. Another fabulous picture book is “The Story of Valentine’s Day,” by Clyde Robert Bulla. This book talks about the possible origination of Valentine’s Day as far back as the Roman holiday, Lupercalia and the later adoption of the holiday by the Christian church. This book also includes some simple crafts and a cookie recipe that are in keeping with long-held holiday tradition. Global Perspective Although several countries celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th not all areas of the world celebrate in the same way. In Japan, women make chocolate for their male friends and sweethearts, but men return the chocolate with additional gifts a month later on “White Day.” In England, Jack Valentine brings small gifts and treats to children. Other countries celebrate their own version of “Valentine’s Day,” but celebrate on a different date or call the holiday by a different name. Researching a country of heritage or interest is an excellent way to expand our horizons on Valentine’s Day. You may even find some customs you wish to adopt as your own! Family Stories Have you taken the time to share your family’s love story? Tell your kids how you met your spouse or about the day of their birth. Taking time to share those memories gives your kids a history, a sense of belonging, and a chance to create their own stories. Give Love and Kindness On my wedding day, I received a book called “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman. The author describes five different ways of expressing love including words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Helping children recognize and respect these different avenues of demonstrating affection can empower them to truly give love to those most precious to them. With a little forethought and intention, we can express love for our children using these love languages. Here are a few suggestions for how our family expresses the five love languages on Valentine’s Day. Words of Affirmation Say ‘Happy Valentine’s Day” and “I love you.” It doesn’t take long, but makes a big impact for kids and other family members who speak words of affirmation as their primary love language. If you want to take it a step further, here’s an easy project I did with the kids. I cut out small heart shapes on white card stock. I then wrote some of my favorite things about them on the heart in a white crayon. In order to discover what I had written they colored over the white crayon with a magic marker to make the words of affirmation appear. Quality Time Make it a point to spend some time together this Valentine’s Day. What does your family love to do together? Our family loves having a movie night and visiting the park. Reading aloud, cooking a meal together, or playing board games are other fabulous options. Receiving Gifts Our children are still small, so we offer them a small amount of chocolate, an orange, an inexpensive toy, and their personal favorite, a helium balloon. Growing up I remember getting a card and candy from my parents. Of course, not all gifts have to be store made, homemade treats or candy are fantastic presents.  Using special wrappings or including a surprise as part of a scavenger hunt all speak to children who feel most loved when given gifts. Acts of Service Our family routinely cooks a little something special for Valentine’s Day. 3 Ways to Make Breakfast a Little Special 1. Heart Shaped Egg in Toast Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create a heart shape in a piece of toast. Brown the toast and the heart cut out for one minute in a buttered pan. Flip both pieces of bread. Crack an egg into the heart-shaped hole in the bread and cook as desired.

Every year for the past twenty years people around the world have contributed to a better universal understanding of bird numbers and movement by counting birds in their very own backyard as part of The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)! The GBBC can be a ton of fun for homeschoolers of all ages. There is no major commitment, no fee, and no professional knowledge necessary to participate.