We are soon approaching Valentine’s Day 2022 and you as a young mother might be thinking of ways how to explain Valentine’s Day to your child.
Are you terrified that your little ones will discover more about the day of love from their peers rather than you? Well, I’m in the same boat as you.
My 7-year-old is too little to understand why we celebrate Valentine’s Day or rather how we are pressurized by social media to do so.
As a responsible parent, I have to take the charge of explaining to her that it is a day to express love and gratitude towards the loved ones.
Before you explain why you celebrate Valentine’s Day
However, Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a holiday in very few countries around the world such as the US, France, Australia, Mexico, Canada and The United Kingdom.
But the list doesn’t end here. Several countries that are influenced by western culture do celebrate Valentine’s Day unofficially as a day to express their secret love or admire their loved ones.
There are many stories about Valentine’s Day, but today things have turned more materialistic than humane. People spend around $19 billion on this occasion buying gifts and roses, dinner dates, and much more than we could imagine here.
How to talk to your child about the love and gratitude around Valentine’s Day?
I believe action speaks better than words, therefore, to teach kids the true meaning of Valentine’s Day is to emphasise love and empathy through the following ways:
Make a list of the loved ones
It is perhaps the best way to start by writing down the names of the loved ones in and outside the family. Ask your child to make a list of everyone and everything they love and enjoy being around. It could be their favourite teacher, grandpa, or even a special friend (you never know!).
Don’t be surprised if they write the name of their pet to the list. It’s all right!
It is the perfect time to talk about love and gratitude to your child. Take your time to add a few more names to the list such as their babysitter or your neighbour whom your child adores.
Share a token of affection
It’s the right time for your child to understand that the exchange of gifts is a priceless gesture, in the end, it has to be a token of affection.
Now that you have a list of loved ones, you can help your child to create some mini gifts for them. It could be anything from writing a letter, handmade card, or anything that your child enjoys creating with you.
Brainstorming gift ideas about every individual will give your child a scope to think of others’ happiness. The whole process of choice of gift, shopping, crafting/cooking and packing involves a lot of emotion. It teaches your child how to care for someone they love.
Share a moment of joy
After all the effort your child has put into preparing the gifts, it’s time to give love. They must be eager to see the love and smiles on the faces of the recipients.
It might be a little challenging to explain what to expect while handing over the token of love to others. Children might think that occasions is a reason to exchange gifts. You can lead their way and show how not to expect anything while sharing love and care. Gifts could be given from the heart without getting anything in return.
Don’t miss your opportunity to talk to your child about Valentine’s Day and show them the true meaning of love and its forms. Celebrate love and gratitude this Valentine’s Day with your child and loved ones and share your story with us.
