Valentine’s Day on a Budget – MBFLP 288

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Like it or not, February 14 is just around the corner. Maybe you’ve got big plans, but maybe you don’t have the funds for a romantic getaway. With eight kids and a limited budget, we’ve been there! This episode we’re talking about ways to make the most of the holiday without spending a fortune!

Why Celebrate Anyway?

The Bible describes several holidays which were instituted by God for the people of Israel. When they gathered to celebrate Passover, the Feast of Weeks, or the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jews were to take the occasion to remember God’s blessings in history and the present.

The holiday of Purim was created by the people themselves, to memorialize the nation’s deliverance from genocide (as recorded in the book of Esther). Even though it’s not a pilgrimage festival like the ones God commanded, the Bible does record the celebration of Purim in favorable terms. It’s easy to draw parallels to our own holidays, like the Fourth of July to celebrate our nation’s independence, or Thanksgiving to remember God’s blessings. They’re not mandated by Scripture but they are opportunities to talk about God’s working and God’s gifts.

Valentine’s Day may be low on the priority list, as “holy days” go, but we think it’s a good time to think about our relationship with our mate and to enjoy some time to focus on one another. It’s like birthdays and anniversaries, but everyone celebrating the same day! We hope you have a good one –

(resources follow … )

Some Resources You May Find Interesting

Valentine’s resources including conversation starters (as mentioned in the program)

Our weekly email “LoveBirdSeeds”

Love poetry from the Bible

Showing LOVE after Valentine’s Day is OVER!

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Showing LOVE after Valentine's Day is Over ... with The Real Kathy Lee Valentine’s Day is a fun holiday for me as a mom. I so enjoy getting up early to write my kids love notes, set the table with candles and red, sparkly runners and cook a special breakfast. I want my children to know on this day that they are loved!
Valentine's Day Once Valentine’s Day was over, I started questioning my attitude towards the other 364 days of the year. Did I work hard to make sure my kids know they were loved everyday? If so, how do I accomplish that and how do I encourage you to love your kids every February 15th – February 13

I came up with a few things…

  1. Write love notes throughout the year. Be creative. Write on their bathroom mirror with lipstick, leave notes on the pillows, tape notes to the back of the seat where they sit in the car, put notes in their books, in their backpacks, in their lunchboxes. Share specific things you love about them or positive things you have noticed them doing.
  2. Spend TIME with them.  I recently saw a news clip about young children and tablet time. The reporter stated that it is fine for young children to be on devices as long as adults were engaged with the children. They showed a video of one child and two adults sitting on a sofa. All three people were on their own device. This is NOT what I am talking about. Real time with your kids means devices are put away. Conversations are happening. Dinner Time, time in the car, while tucking in at night, etc… In order to have a real relationship with anyone, you MUST spend time with him or her.
  3. Honor their work. If your child paints a picture for you, hang it up. If they want to sing you a song, stop what you are doing and listen to it (it usually takes less than two minutes). If they want to read you their story, listen! Honoring their work will teach them that their work matters!
  4. Be careful with your conversations. We have all been guilty of getting on the phone with a girlfriend and firing off. Maybe you were upset with a friend, your partner, or even your child? If you think your child is busy playing and not paying attention, WRONG. They are listening to every word. Decide to share positive things instead… about your friend, your partner, and your child. Words are powerful so choose them carefully.
  5. Create a home that is welcoming for your children and their friends. I am honored when kids say they feel comfortable in my home. I love it when my kids want us to host the party, the bible study, and the special event. I want every one who walks into my home to feel welcomed and relaxed. Hopefully, your children will want to follow your lead and have that kind of home when they grow up and leave the nest.

I am far from perfect as a mom. However, I am confident that my kids will know that I love them and I want them to grow up and love well.

How will you show love today???

Thanks for listening. If you have topics you would like for me to discuss or people you would like to hear from, let me know. Just email me at kathy@thehomegrownpreschooler.com or shoot me a message on social media.

 

Find a way to #sayyes today.

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Thank you to The Homegrown Preschooler for sponsoring this Podcast! Check out the blog post Kathy mentioned, Farmhouse Schoolhouse, to read more about A Year of Playing Skillfully.

Also, to thank you for listening, you can receive a 10% discount on any purchase at

The Homegrown Preschooler by using the code, THEREALKATHYLEE.

 

 

MBFLP – Romance Once You’ve Got Kids

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

MBFLP - Romance Once You've Got Kids

Romance Once You’ve Got Kids

It’s Valentine’s Day this week, and for parents with small children, no money for a sitter, and no relatives nearby, the response might be “So what?” It can be discouraging when the world is full of ads urging dinner out, expensive jewelry, and barrels of roses, when your life is more about diapers and phonics, and your budget is more of the dollar menu and less of filet mignon. This episode, we talk about finding romance in real life, wherever it may be – and sometimes, it will surprise you where it can be found!