Tag Archives: family rituals

How to Create a Family Ritual with Your Preschooler

Family rituals are wonderful to have. They strength all of you as a family, contribute a sense of self confidence and belonging, and give some security to your preschooler. This is the perfect age to get started on creating family rituals, if you haven’t already. Chances are that you already have some family rituals in place. If not, check out the following ideas. Many family rituals with preschoolers take place at bedtime. You could read a favorite story, have a secret family handshake or other way of saying goodnight, or sing a song. Try celebrating half birthdays. Preschoolers love this … Continue reading →

Do They Have Your Permission to Take the Rituals with Them?

Many of us feel pretty proud and protective of our family rituals. After all, they help bond and define our family as a special, unique entity and they give us ways to connect to one another. Have you ever stopped to think about whether or not you want or hope your child takes any of these rituals out into the world with him or her? Which family rituals did you bring into your current family with you from somewhere else? Recently, my kids were sitting around talking about different memories from their childhood and inevitably, they started talking about family … Continue reading →

How Much is the Tooth Fairy Laying Out These Days?

When I was losing my baby teeth, way back in those dark ages, it was a dime a tooth that I found when I turned them over. With my own children, if I remember correctly (and it was a little while ago too) it was a dollar a tooth. Although for the big molars I think the tooth fairy left $1.50 or, in the case of my middle daughter, she often wanted a toy or book instead of money—she just was never that into money when she was younger. Now that our tooth fairy days are done, I’m a little … Continue reading →

Integrating Someone New into Family Rituals

One of the issues that come up for single parents who begin dating is when and how to integrate a new adult person into established family rituals and activities. It is seldom just a simple matter of having someone come along or join in. There might be some resentment and annoyance on the part of the child or children, you may wonder if rituals will be changed or ruined by adding a new person, and there might also be concern as to whether it is appropriate or not. I think that this can be such a touchy and tough subject … Continue reading →

The Celebration of Father’s Day

It’s evening on Father’s Day here and I hope you have had a wonderful one. I hope your family came together and you shared a day where love and laughter permeated the household. I hope your refrigerator is decorated in homemade cards and there are plenty of reasons to be thankful for having home, hearth and family around you. Special Opportunities Holidays are fantastic opportunities to emphasize the emotional connections we have with each other. It’s a great time to pass on family values and traditions. For those of us who grew up in homes without fathers, it’s a time … Continue reading →