Now that half our kids are literate (that sounded bad...like they ever were illiterate?!) Let me start again. Now that most of our kids are old enough to express themselves by writing/drawing, etc. we started a new tradition this year that I HOPE will be a treasure.
Every Family Home Evening in December (starting last night) we will set aside time to write notes/thoughts to each other and place in one another's stockings. We all started writing a note/thought to Brayden. Next will be McKenzie. The kids can stick little random notes in each other's stockings throughout the week, but everyone is to receive one from each family member. No one is to peak at them or read them until Christmas morning. The main idea is that along with Santa's loot, we will all have special notes from each other to read when we open our stockings!
This way, Christmas day is filled with treasures and special thoughts...along with all the gifts. My hope is that this will help our children to think about serving and helping each other and to look outside of themselves during this 'all I want for Christmas' commercialized season. My aim is for this to bring an extra feeling of happiness, togetherness, and peace to this household that I typically refer to as organized chaos!
It will be nice to have these little treasures for years to come...if they can be civilized enough to write thoughtful notes to each other instead of expluratives that often come out of their mouths to each other! Why is it that during November & December the kids seem to test the boundaries and Mom & Dad's tolerance? Every year! Last year McKenzie & Monson got COAL in their stockings...no kidding. We'll see if we can avert that craziness this year!
Last week I HAD it with the things they were saying to each other and how they were treating one another. So, for FHE we made a LONG list of words and phrases that were being banned from our home. I won't share them on my blog because you might just think we're terrible parents (no, they weren't swear words, but when you read them all at once in a row they're pretty offensive and made me laugh out loud in bewilderment because it's amazing the things they learn to say).
Anyway, the incentive was that if they could get to Christmas Eve with only 5 offenses then they would earn a 'prized gift' that they each picked out and really wanted. Bribery? Yup. Sometimes it works. By day THREE two of the kids were out already. Any guesses? Our neighbor brought over his cool air hockey table for the kids to use and that caused 1/2 the problem. We know now that Santa isn't bringing air hockey anytime soon! I tried. Any other ideas? It's hard to be a parent to so many age groups! My fear is that my three sweet little girls will turn out demented by listening to and watching their older siblings much of the time. They're all growing up MUCH TOO FAST! Help!
14 years ago
9 comments:
We do the stocking note thing too, but we use the stockings as "mail boxes" throughout December where they can leave notes and drawings for each other and they can look at them anytime they want. Like your family, they must make one special note/picture about what they love about each other to be opened on Christmas morn. I love this tradition, esp. now that our kids are getting older. It's also nice for ME to take time to express how I feel about each child in writing. Hopefully someday they'll really appreciate the sentiments. I love the "mail" I get in my stocking:):)
Seriously a great idea and one I would love to adopt when my kids are "literate". You are so dilligent with your posting I find it hard to keep up with it. I don't check for a week and I get way behind. Thanks for the recipe. Looks like I'll be making a trip to Trader Joes. I'm hosting a cookie exchange on Thursday and hadn't decided what to make yet. Sorry about the flu, bumps, bruises, etc...I guess that comes with the territory of having 6 kids. I think you have it well in hand. Our family is planning a trip to D-land the first week in March...I'm talking gary's fam, ours, maybe jules, and jeffs too. If your family is as into that place as ours, the more the merrier.
Have I told you how great your kids ARE? I totally enjoyed them when I was the chorister. Most the time they knew ALL the words to songs. I was impressed. Super mom must have something to do with that! (Tell McKenzie that I really DID want her to sing a solo this year for the Primary Program, but since she didn't want to, and I ended up going on bedrest, she got the better end!) =)
Yes, he did bring me home the peppermint bark...it was SOOO good! I was going to thank you on your post about making it the other day, but didn't know if I should thank you in person. Maybe I thought in to it too much! Thank you so much for being so thoughtful! It was yummy and will definitely use the recipe!
I love that idea, I just read about it somewhere else...can't quite remember now, but I thought that would be really neat. Maybe next year!
Love the Stocking Notes idea! I'm sure when they get older they will laugh at those sweet notes. Great way to create memories!!
With not wanting to say ditto, I am saying DITTO. Wow, way cool shay! and I love the stories from Curt he is a great story teller. This is way cool, I have to store this is the special bank in my head of cool stuff to do in the years to come as my little ones grow.
I LOVE this tradition...might have to steal this one!
That's a really great tradition, Shay! Can i copy your idea? Don't worry, won't be copying many more of your ideas--you're sooo much more creative and talented in that way than me, and WAY too ambitious for such a busy mom of SIX! Love ya...
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