VALENTINE’S DAY IS ABOUT LOVE – NOT JUST WITH PARTNERS

When I was growing up, Valentine’s day was my all-time favorite holiday. My Mom’s too. She
went out of her way to make it special for all of us and not just my Dad. The buildup was great,
starting with handmade cards for those important to us and the day itself always began with
heart shaped pancakes on a table bedecked with red napkins. Many divorced or divorcing
parents dread this day and find themselves out of sorts and sad, all because they do not have a
partner. It is important to remember that this day is about love…. for all of those special to you.
Why not make this day about love for your kids, your friends, your family and even yourself?
Here are some tips for celebrating Valentine’s day and its true meaning – love.

1. Remind your children that they were born out of love and that a divorce restructures a
family and does not break it. Help your children buy or make valentines first and foremost for
their other parent. Remember that how you treat their other parent is an example of how your
children deserve to be treated themselves and how they should treat others. They watch and
model your behavior. One of my favorite quotes is “Remember that any arrow aimed at your
former spouse, lands firmly in the heart of your child”. Let the arrows you aim be Cupid’s arrows
of love and not arrows of anger.

2. Have a conversation with your children about love and respect and help them create a
list of all of the people in their lives whom they love. Ask if they would like to send a card to
each of these people as well.

3. Encourage your children to find other ways to show their love, such a commitment to do
a chore or spend extra time with the other parent – such as an hour or afternoon with a
grandparent or special aunt or uncle.

4. If you are not going to be with your children for valentine’s day, pick another day to
celebrate. If you are going to be with them, help them pick another day to celebrate with their
other parent.

5. “Celebrating” can be as small as wearing red or putting a note in your child’s lunch or as
big as a special dinner.

6. You could also buy slice and bake cookies and decorate them if you do not have time to
make cookies from scratch.

7. A cake mix a can of prepared icing and this link can show you how to make a heart
shaped cake without buying a special pan. https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/make-
gorgeous-heart-shaped-cake-without-special-pan-0168334/

8. Maybe Valentine’s day could be the start of a new tradition for your family, such as
having a candlelight pizza dinner (with reds napkins, of course) and then watching a movie at
home together. There are lots of movies available for children of all ages about love and caring.
My personal favorite is the Disney movie Lady and The Tramp. Here are some others:

20th Century Fox. The Princess Bride. …
Disney. Beauty and the Beast. …
Touchstone Pictures. Gnomeo & Juliet. …
Dreamworks LTD. Shrek. …

Disney. Enchanted. …
Disney. WALL·E. …
Universal Pictures. The Lorax.
The Parent Trap
Beauty and the Beast
And no movie is complete without popcorn. This link has a recipe for peppermint popcorn.
http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/11/white-chocolate-peppermint-popcorn.html

9. If you are alone on the actual Valentine’s Day, why not treat yourself to a special box of
chocolate, homemade truffles, dinner with a good friend, a spa treatment, either out or at home,
or a glass of wine, a candle and a good book?

Love really is all around. Show it, feel it and experience it.