To think parents shouldnt send their children valentines cards/gifts...

[Dabbles]

Urgh...

Just dont get it.

Message withdrawn

Why?
I used to get one off my dad when i was little, and he always signed it 'from guess who.' in scruffy kids writing.
I didnt know who it was from, and it made me feel special becaus i always thought i had a secret admirer.

I alwyas send my dcs cards....they dont know its from me. I dont see what the problem is!

dont see whats wrong with it?
what is it that you dont like about it dabbles?

Dabbles - I just dont understand this either - maybe I'm missing something somewhere - but have never bought my children gifts on Valentines day. I dont know anyone else who has either.

I get a small gift for each of the kids - it just turned into a little ritual and I think it's nice - turns it into a day about love in general rather than the all consuming "must have a boyfriend/girlfriend" thing.

When I was little, my mum would always make something special for me to wake up to at the breakfast table. A little felt heart cushion, a heart shaped piece of toast, some homemade chocolate heart shapes or something. Nothing horribly expensive, just a token of thought. I always thought that was lovely and is a similar ritual I want in my family now (although I'm not as talented as her, so I usually end up with something small and bought!)

MIL always sends us a Valentine. I think it's weird.

Particularly as dh and I don't make that big a deal of it ourselves. And if I'm not giving a card to dh, then I'm certainly not likely to give one to the children!

purpleturtle - that is wierd! why does she do that?

Im not a huge Valentines fan, card to dp, but thats all.

Oh, and the kids love making their own cards too... there's something about heart shapes when you're little that are just nice to play with and stick...

I honestly don't see the harm and it brings a smile to our faces. Why does it worry you what other families do? Surely every family has different days it considers special and different ways to celebrate those days.

I give one to my dad still and I'm 26. Is that weird?! It's just an "I love you", nothing romantic

Why 'shouldn't' they? Explain.

Valentines day is about sending a card to your lover...

Obviously it's not a romantic gesture or anything. I suppose it's more an excuse to send a card saying that she loves us. I still don't like it though.

It came early this year because she's away working this month and the result was that dd has now made a Valentines card for both sets of grandparents. Actually, I think only one got finished, which is just as well as I'm not sure how well that would have gone down with my parents!

We live in a place where it is very american influenced and I have just been forced to send DS1 to school with a couple of valentine's cards to him - the school sent parents memo's asking us to send in cards so that they can be read out for the kids. It does feel wierd as valentine's cards to me are just for 'lovers'. I even had to get my mum to do one for him so that he wouldn't feel bad about just having one. Jeez.

Why dont the cardshops sell cards entitled Happy Valentines Day to my dear Father/son/daughter etc then? They dont do they.

I'm with you Dabbles.

my stepfather sends a card to ALL his children and grandchildren....I think he gets a kick out of buying 17 valentines cards

Or someone you want... it is a 'Romantic" occasion.(for want of a more appropriate word...)

Its not geared towards children.

I just dotn get why people would send a card to their child?

Different strokes and all that....

So we should be governed by what Hallmark and Clinton flipping Cards say, should we?@werewabbit

Actually, until dd got a card in the post this morning signed R? I'd even forgotten they're supposed to by anonymous!

It's weird. Romance for children? Weird I tell you. Valentine's is not just about love but romance therefore not one for children.

It's not something I do.

No MM but they're quick to produce cards for every other occasion.

well...my Dad did send a valentine to my sis when I first staretd dating Dh, so she wouldn't feel left out, it was an anonymous one!

where I am from there is an old tradition of 'father valentine' - little presents left on the step for the children. I could never work out as a child how the doorbell would ring, and there would be no-one there but a present left on the step...my grandparents would do it for us, and my dad did it too, so we got two lots of chocolate and often new pens. there was always a bunch of flowers for mum too. As my DC are staying with my parents this week they will be getting a visit form father valentine tonight, but if they were here I would not carry on the tradition, as no one else in Sheffield would have heard of it!

Why should it just be for 'lovers'?

Can't things evolve? The way people celebrate easter (for example) has evolved too.

Why does it bother you what other people do so much? If you don't want to for your kids, fine.

I don't think it's that unusual. I remember as a kid we all made valentines cards in art at primary age and gave them out to our friends.

Valentines Day is a fairly modern tradition anyway, so it's bound to change.

According to Wiki Valentine's Day has loads of traditions around the world, not just an american influence. E.g. , "Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä which translates into "Friend's day". As the name says, this day is more about remembering all your friends, not only your loved ones."

"Valentine's Day also has regional traditions in the UK. In Norfolk a character called 'Jack' Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses leaving sweets and presents for children." (though to be fair, first I've heard of that!!)

I think the nice bit about being a family is you can pick and choose your own traditions to follow, tbh.