I remember the first time that I heard about Kid’s Day (as my family and I call it) aka Children’s Day. I was 7 or 8 and I heard about it on a kid’s show that I was watching. I told my mom about Kid’s Day and asked her why we don’t celebrate it. She told me that at our house, every day was Kid’s Day (womp, womp). I didn’t quite agree and put the thought of Kid’s Day to the back of my mind. Then last year, I decided that we would honor it.
According to Google:
“The second Sunday in June is known as National Children’s Day in the United States. A day to honor the children in our lives, National Children’s Day is a time to slow down our fast-paced lives, turn off the tech and refocus on the important things.”
We celebrate it in my house because just as we honor my husband and me each year for all that we sacrifice as parents, I feel that my kids should be honored for all that they do as a member of the family. Life gets busy and sometimes our kids make sacrifices; why not take a day to recognize how important they are to the family and have fun?
I love that Kid’s Day always falls on a Sunday (this year on June 14) because it is a day that generally we can slow down as a family and hang out most of the day.
In our house, Kid’s Day is a “yes day” in our house. When possible, we try to say yes to all of our kids’ requests that day. They pick what they want to eat for breakfast, they get to pick one meal we will get out, they get to pick what activities we will do. My oldest also expects us each year to make homemade Kid’s Day cards for each kid, just as they do for us for Mother’s and Father’s Day.
I also use this as an opportunity to give them presents (i.e. things that they need for the summer and something fun for the summer). Last year, we bought our kids an inexpensive projector that you can watch movies on using a phone or computer since my kids are big fans of being outside. We have used it many times since then, to watch movies outside, usually accompanied by s’mores and a campfire. This year we plan to give our kids sandals because they desperately need them, swimsuits, and some games that they can play over the summer in addition to their homemade cards.
Something that I read a few weeks ago stuck with me. Many of our kids will not remember all of the fear and sickness of these times, but instead how they spent the time with you. If you would like to get started on this tradition, here is the nitty-gritty to get you started:
1. Talk to your kids about Kid’s Day in advance to get an idea of what they would like to do that day.
2. If the actual Kid’s Day date does not work for your work schedule, consider celebrating the occasion on a day that you are off from work or have a shorter workday.
3. Plan at least one special meal for Kid’s Day. We normally make whatever our kids want for one meal, such as pancakes and eggs for breakfast, and let them choose to order out for another meal, such as Skyline for dinner.
4. Get out your construction paper and markers and make your kids a card! Tell them at least one reason that you appreciate them and why they are special.
5. Have an open mind on Kid’s Day. Try to allow them to do things that you normally would say no to. Let them make slime and eat lunch on the floor with a blanket like a picnic.
6. If you are able to, give them a small gift. It could be something that you crafted, something that they already needed, or something from the dollar store. Anything is appreciated. Wrap it up and make it special.
7. Have fun! Your kids will appreciate this.
