Marking Meaningful Moments For your Kids
This month I will celebrate my boys’ eighth birthday yet again. We’ll have cake , ice cream and open gifts. No big deal, except their birthday was six months ago. Now I know what you are thinking. There was no supernatural disaster, family tragedy or paralyzing illness. Celebrating half birthdays is a fun trend our family recently adopted because it is fun and allows for more times of fun celebratory time.
More importantly, it build a memorable tradition for our boys.Traditions can be built at anytime. As first generation Christians, my husband and I have developed certain traditions with our kids, but the half birthday tradition is one my older kids thought of to really celebrate our younger crew.One of the traditions, we have began doing on our boys half birthday, although you can do it on their actual birthday, is to journal. Journaling children’s thoughts is particularly precious because you can actually capture what they are thinking. A picture may capture a child’s impish grin, but a journal entry will reveal the thoughts behind that grin. Done every year, you will have the invaluable opportunity to watch your child’s thinking transform. More importantly, it will become a cherished Keepsake for your child and your family.
Your child can compose his/her own thoughts, or you can ask them the questions and have them respond accordingly. I like my boys to write in their journal, but you may also type your child’s thoughts and paste them in the journal, or simply write the answers yourself. The beauty of this journal is that the same questions are asked each year and you ( and your child) can easily see how their thinking evolves. Since my boys are twins, it really helps us to clearly see the distinction and difference of their perceptions on the same issues over time.
This year our boys were so excited about their journals. Surprisingly, filling out their birthday journals on their half birthday has become a tradition they really love. Now, if I can only figure out how stop the tradition of them eating half the birthday cake by themselves. Everything would be perfect.
The Happy Birthday Journal, targeted to kids ages 8-12, is available books everywhere.
This month I will celebrate my boys’ eighth birthday yet again. We’ll have cake , ice cream and open gifts. No big deal, except their birthday was six months ago. Now I know what you are thinking. There was no supernatural disaster, family tragedy or paralyzing illness. Celebrating half birthdays is a fun trend our family recently adopted because it is fun and allows for more times of fun celebratory time.
More importantly, it build a memorable tradition for our boys.Traditions can be built at anytime. As first generation Christians, my husband and I have developed certain traditions with our kids, but the half birthday tradition is one my older kids thought of to really celebrate our younger crew.One of the traditions, we have began doing on our boys half birthday, although you can do it on their actual birthday, is to journal. Journaling children’s thoughts is particularly precious because you can actually capture what they are thinking. A picture may capture a child’s impish grin, but a journal entry will reveal the thoughts behind that grin. Done every year, you will have the invaluable opportunity to watch your child’s thinking transform. More importantly, it will become a cherished Keepsake for your child and your family.
Your child can compose his/her own thoughts, or you can ask them the questions and have them respond accordingly. I like my boys to write in their journal, but you may also type your child’s thoughts and paste them in the journal, or simply write the answers yourself. The beauty of this journal is that the same questions are asked each year and you ( and your child) can easily see how their thinking evolves. Since my boys are twins, it really helps us to clearly see the distinction and difference of their perceptions on the same issues over time.
This year our boys were so excited about their journals. Surprisingly, filling out their birthday journals on their half birthday has become a tradition they really love. Now, if I can only figure out how stop the tradition of them eating half the birthday cake by themselves. Everything would be perfect.
The Happy Birthday Journal, targeted to kids ages 8-12, is available books everywhere.