The best advice comes from someone who has walked in your shoes before. Even as a “veteran” mom I love hearing how other parents do things and handle certain situations with their kids. Parent to Parent is where we ask other parents how they handle a situation and share the answers with you. It takes a village, so leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments.
Today we’re talking non-candy Valentine’s Day treats!
As a kid, I remember our classroom Valentine’s Day party as a candy-fest. Of course there was always the excitement of receiving a special something from a special someone, but candy set the tone for the kid-mania which would take over the classroom for a couple of hours.
Nowadays, most schools strictly regulate or eliminate any food coming into classrooms, especially shared food. Between allergies, dietary restrictions, and parental concerns, the days of unrestricted access to candy are mostly gone (and I’m OK with that!). This forces us to get a little more creative with our kids’ classroom valentines. Pinterest will likely leave you with a serious inferiority complex, but if you’re feeling crafty there are lots of cute ideas and punny greetings there. To spare you from the masochistic experience that is a Pinterest browsing session, we’re sharing Little Lake County contributors’ favorite non-candy Valentine’s Day treats.
“My son received a Beanie Baby last year — He loved it! It was nice to have something come home that isn’t disposable or holiday-specific.”– Tracy, son age 3
“I love it when the kids come home with crayons, pencils, and other art supplies. They always have some kind of cute note like “You color my world” or “You’re all-write with me!.” As a mom, I appreciate not having another tchotchke to shuffle around until I can sneak it out of the house without the kids noticing.”– Holly, mom to kids age 4 and 6
“Valentine’s Day socks from the Dollar Spot at Target.”– Jamie, mom to kids age 5 and 7
“My kids love unique pens (we have puppets on pens, wind up pinwheels, and the multiple color options in one pen) or pencils that smell- we find these at Brainstorm.”– Alli, mom to kids age 5, 3, and 1
“We’ve made crayons from old broken ones by melting then cooling them in heart shaped molds.”– Heather
And some bonus input from a elementary school teacher with 20+ years of experience…
“They love everything, lol! Stickers (especially if they’re fuzzy or glitzy), pencils, fun erasers, little bouncy balls, those gooey things you can throw against the wall (can’t remember the name), little slinkies.“– Carla, 1st grade teacher
What do your kids bring to school for Valentine’s Day? What are their favorites to receive?
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