Daily News Blogs:Notes on Parenting Make Valentine’s Day special for your children By: Jamar Thrasher February 8, 2019 Each year on Valentine’s Day, my mother bought me something small and memorable. In the fourth grade, she bought me a small teddy bear. As an adult, she continued the tradition. When I worked as a business reporter in New York State, she shipped me a box of chocolate-covered fruits from our hometown of Pittsburgh. As a child, long before I became acquainted with the notion that Valentine’s Day was reserved for romantic love, I thought it was just for love. Specifically, I thought it was a special day that parents used to express gratitude to their children, similar to other special occasions, like birthdays or holidays, like Christmas. My experiences with Valentine’s Day shapes how I express my love to my daughter. As my daughter discusses what she wants to pass out to her classmates–and her options include an assortment of stickers and cards–I am thinking about a gift, or an act of love I can show her. Parents, buy a Valentine’s Day gift for your child. Getting a gift for your child can be something very small, but extremely special. It can be something tangible, like a teddy bear or chocolate-covered fruits, or, it can be intangible, like an experience, like gazing at the moon. Also, by no means are Valentine’s Day gifts required to be expensive. They can be as affordable or as costly as you’d like. Or, they can be free, like gazing at the moon, or making cookies, or writing a poem and telling your child how much you love them and why. Long before children grow up to develop romantic love, they should be showered in the unconditional love that parents show them. Through these actions, they will become loving adults. Jamar Thrasher, a Pennsylvania-based writer who often writes about youth issues, is the owner of Kennedy Blue Communications, a PR firm which focuses on youth organizations and youth initiatives. His work has appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PennLive and the New Pittsburgh Courier. He lives with his young daughter, Kennedy. Share This Story On: Facebook Twitter Google + Related Content How to tell how much is the right amount of screen time for kids More Content Now 4 indoor physical activities for your kids this winter More Content Now Why I’m giving myself grace during my career relaunch Paulette Cercega Finding pockets of happiness in the chaos: take a minute with me before you break Beth Montgomery Op-Ed: So how do you raise a teenager? Lydia Seabol Avant Pandemic meal preparation: How parents are coping with kids at home Brandpoint How to plan for your child’s college costs Brandpoint Tips to get your kids involved in the family budget More Content Now