By Jodie Herrera
We all remember the crazy nickname our dad had for us, or the wacky dinner our mom made on April Fool's Day. Fun family traditions make memories that our children will never forget. Here are five simple ideas for starting your own fun family traditions:
1. Get a theme song: Whenever we are in the car together and happen to smell a skunk, we sing about it! My husband taught us the tune and the lyrics to Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road, by Loudon Wainwright III. I know the kids will pass this tradition down to the next generation. We sing the chorus. It is fun and makes us laugh, every single time. Find a song and the perfect moments to sing it. You are then on your way to great memories.
2. Birthday traditions: In our home, we have several things we do that make this day special. To see how the kids have grown, we started taking a picture of them in their dad's pants on every birthday since they were little. It is hilarious and we have a picture to prove it. We also make a huge birthday banner complete with balloons and then signed by everyone, including the dog and cat. Birthdays are specifically a "no chore" day. The birthday boy or girl gets to do whatever they want within budget and mom approved constraints. The whole family goes together to this activity. We love making our own cake on our birthday, too. There is nothing as good as getting the cake batter bowl all to ourselves! Make your next birthday one to remember.
3. Holiday fun: Choose something fun to do for each holiday that will be a favorite forever. My sister started a new Christmas tradition a couple of years ago that I think is great. Each person in the family draws a name and buys a pair of the craziest or ugliest socks they can find. Then, on Christmas Eve, they each open a new pair of pajamas, and their crazy socks. Every holiday can be fun with ideas like that.
4. Last day of school surprise: Each year, I make giant paper sign across the door that says, "Welcome to summer!" The kids run through it to the backyard where they find buckets and buckets of water balloons. The neighborhood kids always join us, and we all have a blast! As a special start to the summer, we eat dinner in the backyard using no utensils, no plates, no napkins, and no cups. It is fun to make something like spaghetti for the main course and ice-cream for dessert. This is one tradition that my family looks forward to every year.
5. Have a weekly game night: We love board games at our house, and we enjoy the time spent together in fun and conversation. We especially like games that make us think or laugh. It is so good to turn off the television, the mp-3 player, and put away the cell phone. Start a fun family night tradition at your house and make your home the place your children want to be.
When I am at the crossroads of my children's lives, they see how important they are to me and how much I enjoy being their mom. These 5 simple ideas for starting fun family traditions are easy, inexpensive, and worth more than gold. Think back to when you were young, and start something memorable today.
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