This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and Smuckers.
Ahhh lunch. I remember those days as a kid, looking forward to lunch to see what Mom packed for me in my brown paper bag. Usually it was a peanut butter and honey sandwich (still my favorite), chips, a homemade cookie, a piece of fruit and a drink. Sometimes my mom would write me little notes on my napkin that she would put in my lunch bag. I loved that! Some days it was a joke or a riddle and other days it was a quick, "I'm thinking about you. Love you, Mom".
That meant a lot to me. Obviously, because I still remember it. And now that I am a mom, it brings tears to my eyes to realize how it is the little things, the simple notes, hugs and "I love yous" that make the biggest impression in the mind of a child.
I, like many of you out there, am a working mom. I miss eating lunch with my kids all week. I am amazed at how the kids all rush to me when I get home! They miss me and need my attention. I try to give each of them some of my time, but it's so hard when I am exhausted and have work to do around the house.My husband and I used to go on "dates" with the kids for one on one time. My husband would take one and I would take the other. We pretty much stopped that when our third child came around. Life got too hectic. Can anyone relate?
I'd love to get back to giving that individualized attention to the kids. A weekend lunch date would be so fun. And as my kids are getting older (2, 7, and 9) I think they need that one on one time even more. They need to feel special. They need to be able to speak freely. I have been amazed at the questions I get asked when I am alone with my 9 year old daughter! But I am thankful that she feels she can ask me anything.
So what do you think? Would you be up to trying a little experiment with me?Let's set a lunch date with our kids or grand kids and see if relationships can be strengthened, confidence can be built and special memories can be made. Lunch can be as simple as a good old peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Think of the child's interests and plan an activity that you can do together.
Now to plan it!
The good people at Smucker's have come up with the cutest idea. You can go to the Smucker's website and custom create an invitation for a lunch date and activity for the special child in your life. It is called a "kidvitation". You can choose the invite's background and font and fill in the blanks with the date, time and what activity you want to do together. Just create and print! It's as simple as that.There are also some simple and delicious recipes on the Smucker's website as well as ideas for fun activities.
One of my daughter's favorite activities is baking. She loves to create something delicious and let the whole family sample her treats. She also loves music. I've got a ton of old CD's down in the basement. We could listen to some of my favorite songs and she could pick out some CD's to add to her collection. I gave her my Michael Jackson "Thriller" CD and it changed her world! It's been fun to see her grow up and find new interests and talents.
My 7 year old son loves to play basketball. He actually saved up $77 dollars to pay for half (we paid for the other half) of a basketball standard to put up in our front yard. I think he would love to play a few games of H-O-R-S-E and maybe I can teach him some of my moves. :)
The 2 year old boy would love to just wrestle on the floor, play with a big balloon or go for a walk. He is easy. He just wants to play!None of these activities cost any money, but the value of the time you spend together with those kids is priceless!
Just as that little napkin tucked in my lunch sack at school, it's the small things that mean so much and that are remembered.So what are you waiting for? Go to the Smucker's website to make a kidvitation and spend some quality time with the kids!
Leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win a $200 Visa Gift Card. So tell me: What fun activity will you plan for the special child in your life?
Go to the BlogHer/Smucker's round-up page for 9 other chances to win. While you are there, you can also enter to win a $400 Visa gift card!
For official rules, click here.
281 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 281 of 281I would plan a day with my 11 year old of bowling, lunch then maybe a movie.
Thanks for the chance to win!
a day at the arcade! my son loves laser tag and video games its a way for us to bond and eat pizza at the same time of course :)
My daughter is home schooled. We have already planned special family events together from pageants she enjoys, horse back trail riding on our pastures to story time cuddling up in the covers. We believe in family time and it is our number one priority to always do.
clc_little_britches @ yahoo dot com
We are going camping - no electronics but lots of time for board games, card games, reading, and just good old fashioned story telling.
More baking for me and my niece-she loves doing it. She always wants to make cupcakes.
flyergal82 at yahoo dot com
We are planning on geocaching, and a picnic this is my sons favorite thing to do.
eaglesforjack@gmail.com
We love to have our 4yo niece over. She goes and helps my husband on the farm, then we get to spoil her...and let her do things mommy might not love! :)
The second week in September we hav seats on a train for a three hour round trip ride.
None of us have ever been on a train so it will be a new experience for all of use.
We will ride for an hour and a half, stop and visit the city and have a picnic, and then return.
We are all excited about going.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
With my son, we would set up a "Mom and Luke day". We would go to the local nickel arcade and play a bunch of the dual video games together. Our favorite is "deal or no deal" and though I always lose, he gets a bunch of tickets every time! go figure!?!
pauline15_01 at hotmail dot com
I plan lunchdates with my granddaughter, 3, and they almost always include baking. Sometimes we have picnics in a tent in the living room...or we decorate cookies and frost them, sprinkles and all.
My niece loves art and we make plans to get together and doodle or play with molding clay or paint. Sometimes we bake too.
dwndrgn[at]hotmail[dotcom]
My grandson likes to have a picnic inside. We spread a blanket on the floor and pretend we are camping and its lunchtime.
kaspencer50@yahoo.com
I loved having picnics when I was little so I would make sure we had them in are yard all summer long :)
Date day - picnic up at high point state park :) I'm having a blast with these invitations and my girls are gonna love this! As the kids get older, it gets harder and harder to find time to get all together, but we have one day a month that is family day and have a blast! Thank you Smuckers for making our date day more fun this time!
janicecrespo@gmail.com
I will plan a little picnic with my girl and then a pedicure date.
We're planning on a trip to our local zoo for a picnic!
tesashel225 (@) aol (dotcom)
I would like to plan one last trip to the zoo before summer ends
I'm planning a day trip to Williamsburg, Va. The kids love going there.
hafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com
I have a 15 month old grandson and I love spending time with him. When I am with him, we go for wagon rides and to the park to swing on the swings. He loves being outdoors. dpschad@yahoo.com
We love to take day trips, and we make it fun to sit down as a family and look at maps and activities and decide where to go each time.
3oink63moo484 (at) gmail(.)com
My children are all adults now and their children are adults too! Wow, how fast the time goes.
I didn't work outside the home until all my children were in school. Our Sundays were reserved for time together. We usually visited parks. They were free and I had very little money. We visited nearly every park in Southern California.
The grandkids and I often had lunch together. I would let them choose where to go and it was usually the same place every time.
I need to do that again even though they are all grown up.
I find that when my granddaughter helps prepare a meal she enjoys it much more, and we can brag on her input.
I have movie night with my boys :) We settle in with our bean bag chairs, blankets and bowls of popcorn :)
jillk77 at aol dot com
I will go outside and play catch with my son.
lwoods297@centurytel.net
Since he's old enough now, I promised my nephew I will teach him to make chainmail next time we get together.
We're renting a cabin in mid-September in Oklahoma for a fun family weekend. trinitygsd at yahoo dot com
My neices love to visit, I take them into my veggie garden and let them pick and eat, taught them how to 'steal' new potatoes, they love it. Then I give them a small pair of clippers and let them go into my flower bed and pick a bouqet to take home for their mom.
The kids love picnics by the lake-we pack all their favorite foods and spend the day enjoying the warm weather and watching the boats pass
jessibear19(at)aol(dot)com
If it's cold outside, we will play scrabble or ping pong.
If it is nice, we will go miniature golfing.
pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com
My special activity with my two boys is to create a cardboard fort in the living room.
My little one and I have one on one time together. Reading, watching Sesame Street, Barney, etc. Thanks for the chance at winning.
I'm taking my nieces out for brunch and a movie! Can;t wait :)
dreamzz12{at}aol{dot}com
This year I plan on letting the kids participate in our family traditions during Christmas. We will play cards, drink anisette and attend Midnight Mass.
katmandu221@yahoo.com
I'll be taking my grandaughter to the swimming pool - she loves that!
nblexp at gmail dot com
We're planning a fun trip to the zoo to see the animals. honeypie411 at yahoo dot com
I am going to teach my daughter how to body board at the beach!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
We love to pack a cooler and take of to different parks for lunch whenever we can. We also plan at least one special place to go a week so we always have something to look forward to. Thanks!
I don't have any kids but I plan on going camping with my family.
I like to take my daughter out on a date afternoon. We start of by going to her favorite stores. Then we will watch a movie together and we will finish the day off by going to lunch. I make sure that she knows her company means the world to me.
Jesskaufman at hotmail dot com
a special high tea at a real tea shoppe, little tea sandwiches, pastries and a pot of tea to share after going back to school shopping
singermagic1(at)yahoo(dot)com
What fun activity will you plan for the special child in your life?
an afternoon in the zoo would be great
here is my tweet
http://twitter.com/rosidentevil/status/22057457842
Actually my kids get to pick the activity most of the time but when it is my turn my daugter and i like to window shop
Taking out the water colors and making family portraits together is on an upcoming agenda.
msurosey@yahoo.com
The one thing I miss about having a child is the chance to read together, the way my mom and I would read to each other when I was small.
Today my daughters had their once a year, day before school visit to get a manicure.
my 5 yr old step son loooves to bake ...he says IS IT GONNA BE HOMEMADE! awwwwe melts my heart!!
More camping ...my grandkids love going!
We like to go get our toe nails done. My girls just think that they are all grown up when they get to go. My youngest just gets hers painted since she's so little but still loves it. Thank you!
I am planning on a family night with movies, popcorn, and ice cream. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com
we have a date to go to the mcdonald's playground together
jdmimi at gmail dot com
a trip to the local amsment park intime@myself.com
I do one on one stuff with my kids whenever I can! I like to go to concerts with my daughter and do tech stuff with my son, he even loves just going to Best Buy lol!
justine417@comcast.net
My daughter and I are both nature and animal lovers, so we made time each week for special us time to walk through our favorite nature trail and enjoy the surroundings
I love the idea of a movie marathon with the kids - we could pick a theme, have everyone choose their favorite movie that goes along with that theme, and throw in decorations, snacks, and maybe even costumes to go along with it. I love the kidvitations - what a great idea!
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
I would like to recycle one of my mom's traditions - she would pack a big picnic lunch and we would picnic in the den! It was so much fun and I'd like to keep the tradition alive
kimbly at g mail dot com
Going through mommy's old scrapebook from when she was a kid and cooking dinner.
Diane Baum
esldiane@gmail.com
My son and I have some alone time this weekend. We haven't figured out what we will do yet but I can guess we might play some games. That is something we do together. Or maybe we'll get active and go for a bike ride.
tlannan30[at]yahoo[dot]com
I think I will take my 11 year old and get a pedicure with her to celebrate the start of the school year. She would love that.
kerrie@mayansfamily.com
I always plan time to take my niece and nephew to the zoo, as I think it is important for them to see animals and how magical they are!
trippyjanet at hotmail dot com
spend the afternoon making paper bag masks.
My children love our local trail. It ends with a small stream and they love getting their feet wet. I would love to take them all out for an all day hike with a picnic.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I Tweeted this giveaway. http://twitter.com/lisalmg/status/22096667373
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
I would plan an at-home "spa day." My daughter loves having her fingernails and toenails painted and getting to use my scented lotions. It would be fun to share a pampering day.
nbalogh522 at gmail dot com
I'd invite my children to to do the zoo and then have a picnic
s2s2 at comcast dot net
For those two little grandbabies I would love to one day take a trip to Europe-all the family members like in The Housewives of NJ-when the went to Italy. That would be fab!
spencer1953 at gmail dot com-carol.
We have a family fun night at least once a week where we will play games, karaoke or watch a movie together. We try to do it more than once a week but sometimes everyone is really busy and one night is all we can do.
When things are really stressful, my daughter and I go to the mall for a smoothie. It lets her relax in a non-stressful environment, and it gives us time to chat.
I am looking forward to the time when they are old enough to learn how to ski behind the boat.
ardy22 at earthlink dot net
Puzzles and pizza nite
Pack a picnic lunch and go down to the lake for the day.
My nephew comes over often to bake cupcakes.
take my boys to the movies they like it so much!oh and let them pick a treat
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
I plan on taking them to the movies and out to eat.
longbarb1@aol.com
amking smores intime@myself.com
A day of back-to-school clothes shopping with my teen daughter, just the two of us, would be just the thing!
Many thanks!!
Date night to the movies.
My daughter loves to dress up like a princess. So I think I will plan a dress up date for her.
sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com
We like to picnic at local parks! Thanks! senekers@comcast.net
I would love to have a special picnic at the beach.
I would take my girls on a mother daughter date. 1st I would make a picnic as that is their favorite thing to do. We would go eat, and then take some pictures. Go play around and do something fun.
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