xo Hugs and Kisses xo

Showing affection and caring can be shown in many ways.  

Do you have a child that doesn't want to be hugged anymore?  

Is your child embarrassed if you hug or kiss them in front of their friends or in public!

Is there someone in your life that is going through a rough time and you want a creative way to encourage them, let them know that you care and give them affirmation?

Are you going on a trip and want to leave a "good night kiss" for your loved one?

Here are some alternatives to let your special people know you love and care about them.

A Paper "Hug"

 

 

 

 

 Trace your hands onto paper of your choice.  Attach ribbon, string or yarn with tape or a stapler.  Your "hug" is ready to send through the mail or leave in a place where your special someone will find it.

Leaving for the night or taking a trip?  

Leave a good night "kiss" on you little one's pillow.  (this works for big people you love too! )

Send a "kiss" with the child who is anxious when you separate at daycare or school.

 

Find your favorite lipstick and start "working".

Leave a kiss, along with a greeting, on the bathroom/bedroom mirror.  

Kiss the inside of a greeting card or the back of an envelope.  

Kiss little pieces of paper cut out with a pair of scissors that make a pattern and leave them...

 in lunch boxes,

 inside of a pair of shoes,

 in a drawer, 

under a plate,

inside a mitten, boot or coat pocket.  You get the idea.

Kiss the paper napkin before you set the table or pack a lunch.

The ideas are as endless as your imagination!

   Let a chocolate kiss be your messenger of affection.  Leave them in places for your loved ones to find.  Place on their pillow at bed time, next to their dinner plate, in a sack lunch, on top of their favorite book.  Tape or using a drop of glue, stick a kiss to a brightly colored piece of paper with a message from you.

Sample messages:   Thinking of you

                               I Love You

                               Good Luck today

                               You are terrific

                               You light up my world

                               You are one of a kind

                               You are special

                               Hey, did you know I really like you?

                               Etc.

Every day is the perfect time to tell someone that you love them and care about them.

Can you think of some more ideas to try?

Magic Slates

You will fall in love with Magic Slates!

No matter what age you are, these amazingly, simple bags of "squish" will delight you.

Squish them, draw lines in them, chase the bubbles or hold up two different colors to the light to mix colors or just let the sunlight filter through them to put a spin on your view of the world. 

Warm them up in a sunny spot, then enjoy the warmth of your bag. 

No matter how you choose to play with your magic slate, 

it will leave you feeling ready to smile.

How to make a magic slate:

 Materials:         Heavy duty storage bags that seal.

                          Check each bag before you start to see if it has any leaks in the corners.

                          Corn syrup

                          food coloring

                          clear, wide plastic tape

 

Procedures:  Pour about 1/3 cup of corn syrup with a few drops of food coloring into each bag.  

 Primary colors work well, especially if using this activity to teach how colors are made.   

(Red +Yellow = Orange; Red + Blue = Violet; Yellow + Blue = Green)   

Seal each bag and add a reinforcement of clear packing tape across the top to prevent curiosity sticky messes!  A strip of clear plastic tape on all four sides would also help, if you are worried about a leak.

 

Tips:  Children love to squish, manipulate, draw numbers/letters, chase bubbles and hold up to the light 

         blending two colors. 

Always check the bags for leaks before and after each play time!

Source:  Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes by Becky B. Baxa  page 174

 

The Family Table

Excerpt from the book Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes by Becky B. Baxa  p. 25-27

 

"The light dimmed as we descended the stairs.  I could feel the cool damp air on my skin. I looked around in anticipation.  It was then that my eye stopped and stared.  It sat looking forlorn and unloved with skin peeling in unsightly patches, cast away like a worn out slipper.  Four tired companions stayed close,standing in silent loyalty.  Parts hung and dangled, yet held strong in a valiant effort to maintain dignity.

I sighed, as a thousand memories flashed through my mind of the time we had spent together.  I made arrangements to bring this old friend home.  Home to a place where it would be honored for the many magical memories it had enabled.

What I brought home that day was my parent’s old kitchen table.  We ate dinner at that table almost every night for as long as I can remember. This table was the nerve center of my childhood home.  It was a place for communication.  The mail pile always sat to the left side.  It was the location for teaching, counseling, visiting, as well as eating.  It was at that table that we discussed our day’s activities, made family plans, made decisions and talked out delicate situations.  This table was the place where business transactions were made, homework was done, crafts were made, letters were written, books were read, celebrations and even tea parties took place.  It was a favored spot to do almost any activity in the Winter, as it had a forced air heat register below it that would warm your feet.  Yes, this table was the central meeting spot for the heart of my home.

 

As I searched for a picture of this table, I became frustrated to find so many photos of the dining room  table, not the kitchen table!  The dining room table was used for the really big  occasions and holidays.    Yet, I have no fond memories of that table.  I wondered why?

Then as if a shade had been opened and the sunlight streamed through, I knew it wasn’t the table or the big occasions that created the fond memories.  It was the little things, the daily consistency of family unity, that composed the magical memories.  Like scraps of a quilt, each piece telling a story, all sewn together into one big beautiful quilt. 

I thought again about this table for which I held such a powerful fondness.  It was silly really, after all it was just a table.  But, it was the memories it rekindled, and the spirit of family that it represented, that made it special.  My grandfather’s hand prints are on the bottom of all four chairs. One time when he repainted the table he carried the chairs with wet hands off to dry.

I wondered, ...if  that table could talk, or if it had kept a diary, what would it say?  This table had been won by my father's mother (my Grandma Baker) in a grocery store raffle drawing.  I’m not sure what year that was. My grandparents were  married in 1927.  A picture was found of an unidentified family member taken in 1944 sitting on one of the chairs.   We can conclude that the  brand new table set arrived sometime in that time frame. 

 

My mom and dad were married in 1950 and the table and chairs went with them to set up “housekeeping.”  I lived at home for 21 years and then the table joined my family in 2000. We now have the fifth generation sitting around this table making memories.

It really doesn’t matter what activity you do with your children.  Just do something together!  

 Spending time with your children, effectively communicating with them, 

is possibly the greatest gift you could offer."

The Important Things in Life...

Did you make a New Year's resolution this year?  It's not too late to add one more.  

A resolution that will benefit you and your family forever.  

How much time do you spend each day interacting and communicating with your family?  

Spouse?  Children?  

Most people overestimate the number of minutes they spend daily with their loved ones. 

“Our greatest danger in life is in permitting the urgent things 

to  crowd out the important.”    

—Charles E.  Hummel

 "Before you move on, try this experiment. Set a timer for one minute (or have someone watch the second hand on a watch to help you).  Just sit or stand (don’t peek!) and experience what a minute feels like.   

Take note of when you think the minute is over.  Was it longer than you thought it would be?  

 Most people say “YES!”

 

Brainstorm ideas of what you could have done with your child in that minute. How many things can you think of to do in that length of time?  It can be as simple as counting, singing a song, counting how many seconds it takes the light to change to green, blowing bubbles, etc.   Pretty impressive, huh?

We often think that quality time takes too much quantity of time, effort or even money!

But, it only takes a collection of minutes invested EVERY DAY to make wonderful memories and build stronger, deeper relationships.

"If you remember back to your most pleasant childhood memories, they probably didn’t  involve the big things. You might have remembered the little, simple, uncomplicated, consistent interactions with the adults you love.  It was the little pieces you saved and treasured that produced the beautiful memory quilt of your life."

Wishing you many magical moments!

Source:  Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes by Becky B. Baxa  page 9