I don’t know about you, but there are so many traditions I did as a child that kids these days don’t even think about. Now in retrospect, I look back at some of those traditions and I am so glad I made them come to fruition during my childhood. Here my top five traditions for you to inspire your children to create or continue with:
1. Journaling about your trips and vacations.
This is such a great way to bring memories back to life and encourage a bit of writing as well. The goal is to let your children write out the things they liked and the things they didn’t. Writing in as much detail to tell the story of the adventure. With smartphones and tablets in toe, it’s also fun to set them free to take as many pictures as they can so that, combined, the story truly comes to life. This is all through your child’s eyes and with time will create some fun and enjoyable stories to share for years to come.
2. Genealogy and the family tree.
There’s nothing cooler than really understanding where your family came from and how far you can trace it back. It’s a great activity to do with grandparents. And even great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and any other family member that can give you the insight of your lineage. Learning about family traditions, stories, and places of origin can give a child so much inspiration and confidence about where they have come from. With today’s society of DNA testing and more, we have taken away the family heritage. This comes from the stories, and these stories will never show up on a report. You have to get them firsthand.
3. Family heirlooms or artifacts.
Antiques have become such a thing of the past. Granted we don’t want to teach our children to collect everything, but saving a few select items from our ancestors creates such an amazing story to pass down through the generations. I have my great-grandmother’s wedding ring. Every time I wear it or look at it, I am reminded of what an amazing woman she was, the people she affected, and the lessons she taught before she left this earth. To some, it’s just a ring. To me, it has so many wonderful stories and memories.
I also have my other grandmother’s old cooking pot. This too may seem like a silly heirloom, but to me, it represents such joy because I know she loved having family meals. It highlights the laughter, good food, and love that she gave to all of us. I have a plant in it now and I proudly display it in my kitchen for all to see. Our family treasure can ignite so many stories that have traveled throughout the years. It brings our family members back to life and keeps many of the family traditions at the forefront.
4. Learning a skill from our grandparents.
Our grandparents can bring along so many things. For many, they bring along a few talents as well. When I was a child, I spent quite a bit of time with both of my grandmothers. They taught me to sew, crochet, knit, and even needlepoint. I may not use all of those skills right now, but throughout my life, they have come in handy. Bringing along so many cherished memories of a time gone by.
5. Handwritten notes.
With text and email, the fine art of a handwritten note has practically disappeared. I get such a tickle looking over notes I wrote as a kid, watching my handwriting change, and noticing the words I used and how I used them. Not to mention the joy they bring to others to see that you have placed effort into writing them a thank you, how are you, or even congratulations. Teaching our children to put in the time can place a smile on so many faces. This will become a cherished memory for so many and a worthwhile skill for the one writing the note.
As parents, we want to encourage our children to make a difference in the world, to share our traditions, and to create new ones for the generations ahead. For some children, they may think of this as a chore, but I can tell you from experience, these will create incredible memories that they will be proud of in time.
With Peace and Love,
Adita
