I’m a celebrator. I enjoy commemorating evenest the smallest of accomplishments and the most obscure occasions. I feel like everyone in the world should eat cake on 10/10/10 or get a bouquet of flowers for pulling off a successful all-nighter, whether it be finishing a term paper or surviving your kid’s bout with chicken pox. You don’t need a birthday or anniversary to have reason to celebrate in my book.
But what happens if you are married to the CEO of the under-celebrators’ club, or worse, a non-celebrator. I exchanged wedding vows and procreated with the former, which kinda stinks when you are an avid celebrator.
And by under-celebrator I don’t mean someone who shuns special occasions. Rather, an under-celebrator (at least in my definition) tends not to want anything for his birthday or Christmas, or want to do anything for any occasion. That’s great if you live alone, aren’t married and don’t have kids, but by simple human nature, children are wired to enjoy celebrations, and more so, they like to be celebrated.
I’m not knocking the under-celebrator’s desire for frugality or perceived humility, but as far as meekness goes, I don’t buy it. I think the main motivator in an under-celebrator’s life is laziness. They don’t want to be bothered by pomp and circumstance whether it be for a milestone birthday or the occasion of their child’s first steps.
I am the complete opposite, and so are my parents, which I love, and hope one day my kids will embrace their inner celebratory spirits and pass it on to their children.
This doesn’t mean that I expect my kids to host extravagant shindigs for every little thing their children do, but what about a homemade card, a special dinner, flowers, or a favorite cupcake or cookie… or granola bar to mark special moments?
I always hear parents talk about how they love and appreciate their kids, and I’m pretty sure moms and dads collectively can’t celebrate their children enough, so why wait for a golden birthday, high school graduation or wedding to give your kid an extra hug, kiss or candy lei?
Seize the moment now to celebrate the blessings that are your children.
Related Articles:
Can Parents Ever Get It Right?