Family Love Fun

One way to feel the love in a family is to have rituals, stories, and  routines that are exclusive to a particular family. I don't mean "inside jokes". I hate those because they leave others out. Anyone can jump into our silly habits and imaginations, but it is mostly managed by someone in the family. Here are some that we had growing up and some in my family now:

• If you want to tell someone "I love you" without saying it, squeeze them 3 times.
• If a member of the family drops or spills food at the table, my Dad always says, "are you feeding Marvin down there?"
• We have an invisible member of the family, Simon. We talk about him and to him, even buckle his seat belt in the car.
• When I am driving and can't actually look at the kids and talk to them, Mr. Hand does the talking. Sometimes he sings them songs, too.
• It is a well known fact that if you eat too many pink cupcakes you will wake up pink in the morning.
• Friday night is pajama party night. We watch a movie (could be a short movie) and paint nails.
• We make smoothies just before bedtime in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter. 
• If something goes wrong, the appropriate word of frustration is "drat" or "drats", just like Toad.
• Hugs and back rubs are a great way to start the day.
• Jelly Telly is watched every morning during breakfast. That is the only show unless a movie is appropriate during the day.
• Daddy holds them down on the floor and kisses them "too much". Funny how they wait around for their turn to be kissed too much.
• We name the parks around here our own names, "the house park", "the castle park", "the dinosaur park", "the nature park"...
• If someone is being especially grumpy, it is necessary for me to find their "happy button". It is usually on their belly somewhere or right under their arm.
• Nicknames and rhymes made up for each member of the family are fun. Even Max (1 year old) gets that when we call him "Tiger" he growls.
• Their favorite Shel Silverstein poem is "Backwards Bill". They like to put pajama pants on their head, eat corn for dessert, or have breakfast at night, just like Backwards Bill.

That's all I can think of for now! Have fun with family time!