Finding the Sweet Spot this Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day with Kids - The Sweet Spot between Cheap Cards and Pinterest Nightmares

Valentine's Day is designed for lovers and suitors to declare their romantic feelings for each other in shiny, sparkling, and dazzling fashion. Yet, since the invention of crafting havens like Pinterest, pressure is being placed on parents to extend the holiday to include their children as well. When I was a child my mom would drive me to the store on Feb. 13 to choose a box of paper valentine cards for a dollar, and if she was feeling particularly generous a few boxes of heart-shaped candies to go with them.

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Valentine's Day should be about making someone feel good about themselves, whether it's because you admit to having a crush on them, declare your undying love, or ask them to be your best friend forever. Even kindergartners deserve to feel special. So this year instead of passing out epic Pinterest failures in an attempt to compete with the growing tradition of out-crafting our fellow parents, I've decided to spend my time in a way that's more authentic to the sentiment behind the holiday.

This year my children and I will write out one thing that they like about each of their friends and classmates, whether it's a game they usually play together, the color of their hair, or the way they sing during free time at school. Not only will this provide an opportunity for my kids to give their friends a nice compliment, it will also encourage them to look for something good in each and every one of their classmates.

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To finish reading the full story, visit The Huffington Post: Parents website: http://huff.to/1T1012t.