Using Valentine’s Day to Teach about the Meaning of Love
My daughter recently asked me to explain to her the meaning of Valentine’s Day. I told her that it was a day to show others how much we care about them. Then I quickly added that we should try to show that love and appreciation for the special people in our lives every day, and that Valentine’s Day is a reminder to do that.
Though Valentine’s Day is often associated with romantic love, it provides a good opportunity to teach our children about the meaning of love and about the different ways we can show affection and appreciation of others.
Love is Kind
One way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to encourage our children to perform acts of kindness for their siblings, parents and friends. This doesn’t have to be anything grandiose; it can be as simple as writing a word or phrase (or drawing a picture) about why you love someone and then showing it to that person. You can read books together as a family about love and kindness, and use them to foster meaningful discussions with your children. Another idea is to use Valentine’s Day to “pay it forward” — encourage family members to record all the acts of kindness they performed in the month of February. The idea is to get our children to see that helping others is a good practice, and not just something we do once a year on Valentine’s Day. Activities like this can help reinforce the same good behaviours we already expect from our children, such as sharing and being gentle and accepting of others.
Love Isn’t Materialistic
Though this isn’t what corporations want us to believe, it’s true — you don’t need to buy someone a gift on Valentine’s Day to let them know how much you care. Of course, there’s nothing wrong in doing so, but it shouldn’t be the main goal. One year, my kids and I made homemade Valentine’s Day cards and mailed them out to family members. The cards were messy and imperfect, but that’s what made them loveable — they were truly from the heart. Another year, we baked delicious treats (rice krispies squares and brownies) at home and shared them with family and friends. Again, it was nothing fancy, but it was fun to do as a family and it was a tasty surprise for those we care most about. Fancy and expensive gifts are wonderful, but they aren’t the only way to show others how much they mean to us.
Self-Love Is Important
While it’s great to show others love and appreciation, it’s equally important to take care of ourselves. It’s a lesson I’m still learning and that I’m trying to make a part of my everyday life. I want my children to see that they need to take care of themselves before they can take care of others. On Valentine’s Day, you can help reinforce this idea by engaging in some relaxing activities. Snuggle up with the kids and just lounge and watch a movie. Or maybe treat yourselves to a spa day or a dinner out. Whatever the activity is, encourage your children to see that self-love isn’t indulgent or greedy; it’s necessary in order to have happy and healthy life.