We dream big.
Is it better to dream big, and then do big while the children are young and pliable, OR when they are older and more likely to remember the experience? This is not a moral dilemma. Probably just a preference.
I suppose we all do a little of both.
E had a half-day today, so I took her out to lunch. While at the pizzeria, we talked about family traditions. Family traditions are huge in the formation of a child’s identity (according to some class I took from some professor, some time ago at some alma mater).
I pulled out a pad of paper, and asked E to list for me all of our family traditions – all she could manage with her mouth full of cheese and pepperoni, that is. Her list:
-Going out to eat on 1/2 days of school
-Family Home Evening
-Friday night movie-night
-Traveling
-Flying to Utah to visit Matthew‘s grave on his birthday
-Scripture Power (that is what the kids call family scripture study)
-Herbal tea at nights
-Waffles with ice cream on the first day of school
-Father’s blessings on important days
-Watching the movie after reading the book
-Running in the mornings together
-Fun April Fools Day breakfasts
-Mom reading poetry at nights
-Dad reading books at nights
-Microwaving stuffed animals (ummmm…)
-Bring-your-child-to-work-day (it’s happened…..once)
-Getting sick every winter (yup)
-Sending postcards to people while on vacation
-Going to a new museum every week during the summer
-Giving food to the poor
-Getting paid (see Family Living)
-Paying tithing
-Mom does all the cooking
-Saturday is Dad’s-day
-Mom sews PJs (actually I don’t…not enough to consider it a tradition, anyway)
-Walking down the penguin road so we don’t see sexy ladies (ha ha ha ha ha…..)
-Music lessons
-Carving pumpkins
-Coloring eggs
-Making our own Christmas ornaments
-Living around the world
-To never buy a house (ouch!)
At that point, the Latino music got so loud (in the Italian restaurant…hmmmm) that we left.
I’m impressed, E! And, if I would have given her the time, she would have had twice as many family traditions that she wanted to start!
Dream big!
“Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it…”
Wilferd Peterson
I love this Rach! I’m going to have to ask my kiddos the same question and look at our traditions and maybe some new ones to start from E’s list! Love you!
That is a pretty good list and shows that you are abviously doing a lot of things right. Nicely written. Thanks for sharing.
I think it’s so interesting to see what really matter to kids! What a fun idea! It makes me want to compile all the family traditions I can remember, partly just to see what really was a tradition and what I claim in my own mind is one.
That is truly incredible.
This is wonderful! Dream big, my girl, and never stop.
Hmmm… I wonder what she would say if you were to ask for Aunt Christine Traditions? I think you should ask… just so I’ll know what makes the cut. LOL
Rachel, I laughed out loud with a few things on E list. I am also inspired what a great idea.
Thank you for sharing.
That is precious! Sweet, sweet E!
{ btw, I’ll be expecting some handmade pi’s in the very near future. 😉 }
I love this idea; I’m going to poll my kiddos and see what traditions they recall. And what ideas they have to start new ones. Thank for another great idea!