Isn’t Valentines Day Only For Couples? My Conversation With My Preteen Son.
Mom, it’s Valentine’s Day in a few days! What are you doing for dad?
Now I have been married for donkey years and have experienced all range of emotions; the hint of first love, the excitement of dating him, the high of getting married, planning a surprise every anniversary and now slowly getting into the comfort zone of just being around without needing anything. Even when we were younger we never needed a date to celebrate love. I was way more cliche than my hubby and I did try my antics for a few years but soon realised the wisdom of not marking a day for the celebration of love.
So the moment I heard these words, the first thing that hit my head was this is not my preteen son speaking but the effectiveness of marketing campaigns that germinate and lurk around every year. Yet, this is a sensitive age and every such notion needs to be handled. I took it upon myself to convey to my preteen son;
Sweetheart, what will you be doing for me, since Valentines Day is here?
I get a confused look.
But mom Valentines Day is only meant for couples!
Aah! It’s time for a conversation.
So, darling, I know you think this day is meant only for couples and not for the rest of us. But, the truth is that this day is meant for all of us. Love can be celebrated in many forms, motherly love, self-love, love for the animals, sibling love and much more. It is about;
Loving your family
Your family is your biggest supporter, so spend uninterrupted, gadget-free time with your family. Impress your parents by making a breakfast meal or an evening snack for your parents/ grandparents. Write a thank you note to your brothers and sisters and I am sure they will be surprised and touched.
Being Kind
Give your house help a day off and make them feel special by taking care of their needs. Since they come from humble backgrounds and are not very savvy, take time out to teach them the importance of saving money. You can also guide them on how to open savings account online. They form our support structure and need to be treated with love and compassion.
Love for those around you
Show selfless love by giving blankets and food for the street kids and homeless. Sometimes when you do such acts you feel good about yourself, so show love to others for warming your soul.
Love is showing gratitude
By greeting your teachers with a ‘Thank You’ card so as to make them feel loved for putting so many efforts to make you learn new things.
Self-love
In all this, do not forget yourself. Once in a while, we need to indulge in self-love too. Treat yourself to a dessert ( If you are fitness person, this is how you can celebrate your cheat day and make yourself feel pampered and loved ). Give yourself a break by staying in a no-phone zone or by preparing a nice meal for oneself along with some Netflix or your favourite book. By heading out alone and exploring places, capturing the sunrises and the sunsets.
Love thy friends:
By spending some time with your friends, here you can opt for some outing or a sleepover with your friends or you all can opt going out.
Positivity
By opening up to yourself, by penning down your thoughts, so as to make oneself feel better and to pour out one’s heart.
Thank you, love
By saying a thank you to every individual who helps you throughout the day in some or the other manner.
Loving those who miss it
Go to an orphanage and spending time there with the people living there, by talking to them about their lives.
Pet love
Visit a pet cafe or by giving time to your own pet and spending a day with them, and so much more.
Let this Valentine’s day not restrict you from loving those around you. Think of life as a savings account where every moment spent with your loved one is a deposit. So wouldn’t you take this Valentines Day opportunity to be cash rich?
Uff, mom! You are always filled with so much ‘gyan’! I got your point, ok!
And that’s how my conversation with my preteen son went. He is still a kid, but somewhere I have sown a seed to remove the Hallmark cliché Of Valentines Day from his life.
Before I sign off Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you and thank you for being such wonderful readers. Keep showering the same amount of love and more positivity and we at MaaOfAllBlogs will make sure to never let you guys down!
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