Traditions are really important and they don’t have to be elaborate. Small little things can create calm and stability for your children. In our home we have lots of little traditions. Something as simple as making pancakes on a Saturday morning can create predictability and stability.

Since before I was born, my mother has been making iced pumpkin cookies. My kids look forward to decorating cookies with grandma. My teenage son is really looking forward to it this year. It is something they have learned to count on. You can find my mother’s perfect icing recipe here.

 

Other traditions we have in our home are a mix of traditions from my family and my husband’s family. My kids love to go to “Fun Night” at my husband’s grade school. It is a 1950’s style carnival with simple games. The menu is the same every year. You can get a sloppy joe or hot dog, or my favorite, a sloppy dog. There are pieces of pie and bags of chips and it is all very inexpensive. My kids find the predictability comforting.

 

On Halloween night we always go to my parent’s house for dinner. This tradition started when I was very young. The neighbors would gather for dinner and the dads would take the kids trick or treating and the moms would stay back and clean up and pass out candy. My mother has continued this tradition with her grandchildren. She serves the same meal every year. Chili, chicken noodle soup, and veggies with hummus are all on the menu. It is a simple meal meant to fill up the kids before they get gobs of candy.

These simple traditions are so important for creating calm and stability in our homes. What are your traditions? I would love to hear

Recipes, Podcasts and Posts from this episode

Pancakes

Icing for Pumpkin Cookies

Vanilla

Chili Recipe

Roast Chicken Podcast

Roast Chicken Post

Hummus Recipe

Taking Dinner to a Friend in Need