The time a mother has with her children goes fast. Before you know it, your kids will be off to college and on their own. So take the time now to build memories with your children by spending time with them and celebrating family traditions together. And give them a few tangible memories as well, such as the following recommended by Caryl Waller Krueger in 1001 More Things to Do with Your Kids:
Measuring Board
Create a measuring board of all of your children’s heights. On a special day each year (such as New Year’s Day), create a new line for each child. You can even include yourself and your husband. Display the board somewhere in the house, such as in the family room. Hold a Family Night event of painting and decorating the board before you start this tradition.
Memory Quilt
Make a quilt for each child. Add a new square for each year of their life, with some symbolic as the symbol for that year. If you choose to give them their quilts on their sixteenth birthdays, you can create a quilt with four panels across and four down. For example, you can have one patch show a baseball for the year your child started little league, or a bicycle for the year he or she learned how to ride a bike.
Handprint Kit
Purchase a clay handprint kit and create handprints of each of your children. Perhaps you could designate special ages, such as 1 year, 5 years, 10 years and 15 years. Or you could even use finger paint to create collages showing each child’s growth each year.
Friendship Book
Take photos and videos of your children with their friends and start a special memory book for each child. Then when they are grown and are leaving the home, present their book to them of their childhood friendships.
Photo Traditions
Start a fun photo tradition, such as each Fall having your children dress in their favorite new school outfit and taking pictures of them in their rooms. Your kids will have fun looking back at how their hairstyles, tastes in clothing and even their room decorations change from each school year. Or perhaps you can save pictures from each child’s birthday or take a holiday photo of each child with their most meaningful gift.
Memory Box
Keep a memory box for each child with a few key mementos. For example, you can include a baby rattle, first set of baby shoes, special school awards or other significant milestones. Then once your children leave home as an adult, present them with their own box.
This article is based on the book, 1001 More Things to Do with Your Kids by Caryl Waller Krueger.
