Monday, February 3, 2014

5 Things Not to Do this Valentine's Day


Valentine’s Day, like most holidays, takes on a new meaning once you have kids.  For the single or married without kids people, it’s about special dates and flowers and fancy restaurants. Maybe even an engagement proposal if you want to make it extra special.


But for married with children folks, it’s about cards and candies for classroom-counts of kids (even the one your kid doesn’t like and the one who bullies everyone on the playground) and teachers, a special something for the kids, and trying to squeeze in a minute in between running kids to their after-school activities to say “I love you” to the person with whom you’ve chosen to share your crazy and hectic life.

You’d think after so many years, I’d be better prepared for this day.  You would think that, if you didn’t know me too well.  But I am trying to handle things a bit better, because that is the point – to get better at this parenting thing, right?  So these are my things not to do this Valentine’s season.

Do not wait until February 12 to shop for Valentine’s cards or candy for the class.  There are many organized, on-top-of-things moms out there, and they leave the boring and/or weird cards and yucky candy behind.

Do not wait until February 13 to get all hyped up about the cute stuff on Pinterest and think that you can make 26 hand-painted, personalized gift boxes filled with home-made chocolates in time to catch the school bus in the morning.  If you are prone to DIY-crafting surges, start early. Click here to get started now.

Do not think you are going to get a reasonably priced dinner and a regular priced babysitter on February 14.  We know the dinner menus are cranked up and any market-savvy teen is charging a Valentine’s Day surcharge, too.  Instead, if you can swing it, meet hubby for a nice, relaxing lunch at that restaurant you can never get into for dinner. Go make your reservations now.

Do not forget to stick a corny love note in your kid’s lunchbox on February 14.  There’s some days where you can get away with this.  If you don’t make it too sappy, this is one of those days.  If they are very young, you can even plan to stop by for lunch.  If they are say, above 2nd grade, do not even think about doing this.

Do not wake up on February 15 and realize that you forgot to send all those hand-made Valentine chocolates to school, missed lunch with hubby, and didn’t pack the kid’s lunch the day before.

Don’t wait til February 14 - tell someone you love them today!

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