Several years ago at a homeschooling conference, a speaker named Candy Summers said to do something special, some kind of small suprise, for your kids… every day!  At first I thought she was crazy, and surely way too busy with this one task.  But I kept thinking about it, and slowly began experimenting.

I started small (which is the idea) and to this day I continue small.  It can be any little thing, like serving their snack of raisins and nuts in an ice cream cone, or 15 minutes on the computer for fun games.

I try to do something every single day.  I can’t say that I’ve never forgotten, but if the kids are in bed and I realize I didn’t have a “little thing” that day, I squeeze into bed with each of them for extra snuggle time or I sneak them into the living room for an impromptu sleepover. 

It has gotten to be such a habit that I am always on the lookout for something the kids would like; it’s become part of what I do.  Today Levi had a lesson on shapes, so I had all the kids make shapes out of marshmallows and toothpicks.  Yesterday I read to them extra long from the book we’re reading together right now, “Abel’s Island.”  See, nothing big. 

The basic concept is simply to bring a tiny sigh of “oh!” into each day, a little sunshine whether there’s any outside or not.  I want my kids to look back on their childhood with a smile and a happy, loved feeling.  That’s not going to come from expensive vacations or dragging them to every sport we can sign them up for; it’ll come from small moments, from the little things.  Here’s some ideas to get you started:

• keep a stock of “goodies” like silly putty, glow sticks, or even scotch tape to give them, especially on rainy days
• take a walk in the dark, with flashlights
• put green food coloring in the pasta you serve them at lunch
• write each a note and put it on their bed to find.  Even non-readers will love this (and probably memorize the note!)
• pack a picnic breakfast (like muffins or cereal in sandwich bags) on a nice day, with a timer set, and send them to the back yard
• put a piece of candy or treat on their pillows
• give them a packet of seeds and a spot in the yard that is just for them
• let them use a straw at supper
• buy a package of squirt guns and send them to the deck/porch in their swimsuits

Some of these may seem silly, they’re so small… but that’s just it: the simple pleasures in life are what make our days special.  Do a little brainstorming for things you can do for your own family, and share them with us!