We have the same newborn gown that each of my children have been dressed in for the very first time after they were born to giving the kids a present on Christmas Eve, which has always a pair of new brand new PJs until this year when the older boys got new pairs of undies because that's what they wear to bed during the summer.
It is the beginning of the school holidays and we even have traditions that mark the end of the school term. Before you ask - yes we still do school holidays around here even though the kids are home schooled. Do you really think that they would let me work through them? Plus I definitely need a break from all that planning and hunting for pencils and rubbers on a daily basis. (One would think that I would have an ample supply of those two items being that we school at home but I am ALWAYS hunting for them no matter how many I have in the house).
The end of the school term tradition is always marked with a last day ice cream sundae from McDonald's. I can't remember when it started but no one lets me forget it and this time the kids went out with Dad who treated them to Sundaes after a trip into the city. Bless him. I got to stay home ALL BY MYSELF for an entire three hours, something that NEVER happens around here. Oh the quiet! It was so .......quiet! What to do what to do?? I finished off some knitting, talked to my Mum on the phone, had a coffee in one sitting (with cream even) ate a caramel square without having to share any, had a wee nap, surfed the net and did some baking UNINTERRUPTED and started dinner. While I did enjoy this time, by the time they got home I was ready for them to be home.
Another tradition that we do at any given time when a new movie is out is too all sit down and watch a family movie together complete with movie snacks. The lights are all turned off and everyone finds their favourite seat and we enjoy the movie together. I have to admit I am not the biggest movie fan so sitting down for the entire length of the movie is particularly difficult for me. I always have the desire to be doing something else as well as watch a movie. This drives my husband nuts!
Whatever the tradition you celebrate or observe in your family, be encouraged that its all worth it even if it is a bit of an effort to make it happen, even if the kiddies aren't playing their part and are fighting over who gets the ice cream sundae with the most sauce or who is sitting in whose seat for the movie. I tell myself that this is all part of the tradition itself. If you are striving for perfection then you are going to sadly disappointed because when you are working with anyone else let only children...stuff happens. But it is all worth it. I have said before, its all about creating memories and building relationships, cementing relationships within your family. Its what makes you a family. Its what holds you to each other. So keep going, keep making that effort, keep celebrating and observing the traditions that you hold in your family. Its what makes your family, your family.
What traditions do you have in your family?
I wasn't even home on the last day of school, but they still brought out the ice cream and toppings!! Its got to the stage when I don't even have to remember because they don't let me forget :)
ReplyDelete