One evening at dinner, when my children were particularly whiny and ungrateful, as children have a tendency to do sometimes, I decided to have everyone in the family say what was their favorite part of the day. We went around the table, and if anyone slipped into a complaint or a comparison instead of putting forth a positive thought, they had to start over. And the favorite part of the day cannot involve something that could hurt another’s feelings, such as, “My favorite part of the day was when Sarah left,” because siblings are prone to this type of thing.
Unexpectedly, this was a big hit and we’ve done it every night since its inception, even when we’ve gone out to eat. They’ve taken ownership of this practice, so much so, that the other night when I was leaving to meet my friends for a little “me” time, the kids all demanded I sit at the table with them to participate in the nightly roundhouse of positivity.
I had inadvertently created a family tradition.
Bombshells, this is what I want you to think about when you are busting your behind trying to create a spectacular holiday for you and your children. Extravagant decor, fabulous food, and picture-perfect outfits are lovely for impressing our friends, but that isn’t what sticks with our kids through the years. It’s the time we spend with them being a family. That’s it. That’s all.
Allow them to bake misshapen cookies with you and proudly display them for the family or make a pot of herbal, caffeine free tea to share on the holiday’s eve as you read by the fire’s light. Build a better tradition and let these moments be your legacy. Because the pictures will fade and the presents will be unwrapped but the memories will last a lifetime.