During February, many middle and high school aged youth go the extra mile to show their special someone how much they care. Before the pandemic, many schools allowed students to send carnations, cards, and candies to their crush or partner while in class. However, much like everything else the past year, this holiday is going to look a lot different.
As we continue forward in the next chapter of this global pandemic, Valentines Day may be the perfect opportunity to get an extra boost of togetherness, safely. Whether your family is in quarantine or your children are participating in virtual school, there are several creative and safe ways for you and your family to celebrate love and Valentines Day at home. Consider some of these fun ideas;
Make Valentines day cookies and cupcakes! Who doesn’t love a craft project that ends with a sweat treat? Make it even better by setting up a video chat baking date with loved ones or family members that your kids are missing and have everyone decorate together! You and your children may get the connection you all need while building resiliency at the same time. Step by step instructions are available from this
Get outdoors and make your own version of kindness rocks! Find and paint rocks with Valentine’s Day messages on them. You can get simple ideas from “Sweetheart” candies. On Valentine’s Day go on a walk around your neighborhood or nearby greenway or trail and place the rocks in special spots to surprise passing hikers, walkers, or joggers.
Get creative with DIY house decorations! Feeling gloomy after all the holiday decorations have been taken down? At the beginning of the month begin a few DIY Valentine’s Day decoration crafts. By Valentine’s Day you’ll have plenty of homemade and heartfelt decorations to put in your windows or around the house. Right now, construction paper hearts in windows also doubles as showing love for healthcare workers! You can find some craft ideas to get started here.
Write valentines! It’s an old one, but a good one. Writing Valentines Day cards is a fun arts and craft project and a gratitude exercise rolled up into one! Help your child make cards for family members, friends, and neighbors, and include a special note about one thing they appreciate about them.
Plan some heart-healthy fun! February is also American Heart Month so get your family moving throughout the month. Find ideas for home activities on kidcentral tn!
Most importantly, have some fun and stay safe while trying new Valentine’s Day traditions. February is also a good time to focus on the importance of self-love, especially for pre-teens and teens. Anxiety in Teens has compiled a list of personal commandments to help teens learn how to love themselves.
Stop all criticism. Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.
Forgive yourself. Let the past go. You did the best you could at the time with the understanding, awareness, and knowledge that you had. Now you are growing and changing, and you will live life differently.
Don’t’ scare yourself. Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It’s a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure, and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.
Be gentle, kind and patient. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.
Be kind to your mind. Self-hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don’t hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.
Praise yourself. Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.
Support yourself. Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.
Be loving to your negatives. Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So lovingly release the old negative patterns.
Take care of your body. Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need in order to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise do you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.
Do mirror work. Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself while looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents while looking into the mirror. Forgive them, too. At least once a day, say, “I love you, I really love you!”
Love yourself, do it now. Don’t wait until you get well, or lose the weight, or get the new job, or find the new relationship. Begin now—and do the best you can.
Have fun. Remember the things that gave you joy as a child. Incorporate them into your life now. Find a way to have fun with everything you do. Let yourself express the joy of living. Smile. Laugh. Rejoice, and the Universe rejoices with you!