This month's question:
9
Is there a family tradition from your childhood that you have instilled, or would like to one day instil, in your own family?
There have been 9 answers to this question so far.
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Weโll have a new question here every month for you to answer and engage with. Think of this as an online journal, except everyone gets a page in the book, and no one knows whoโs written what (fun!).
Pour your heart out or read through the pages of someone elseโs heart. Either way, we hope you find comfort in reading these stories from strangers.
Pour your heart out or read through the pages of someone elseโs heart. Either way, we hope you find comfort in reading these stories from strangers.
Is there a family tradition from your childhood that you have instilled, or would like to one day instil, in your own family?
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16
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?
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What is one event in your life that you wish you could change, and how would you change it?
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When you think of the word ‘disappointment’, what memory comes to mind?
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What has been your biggest victory in the past year?
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When was the last time you felt brave? What were you doing that made you feel that way?
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Anonymous
We have games over dinner with our two small boys – but fun and conversational games.
My favorite is ” I remember when…..” I love it becuase I learn about things that happened in my kids days, things we may otherwise never hear about, and they love to hear stories about our lives when we were younger. It’s a great way of connecting and sharing stories and often laughing together over shared memories.
It’s also great that the youngest (who is 5) can now play the “I am thinking of an animal” game with us and we can guess real life animals!
Anonymous
Every rainy day, my family makes time to cook pancakes together and I will absolutely keep that cosy tradition.
Anonymous
My mom has always made birthdays really special for my sister and I. She raised us as a single parent so there wasnโt much to go around but she always managed to make our birthdays special.
As kids she would wake us up with small gifts placed around our body but she never wanted one of us to feel left out so my sister would also get a little gift on my birthday and Iโd get one on hers.
Sheโd keep us home from school, take a leave day and we were allowed to choose the activities for the day.
As adults my sister and I have made birthdayโs a really big deal with our husbands (even though theyโre not birthday people). We take the day off, make a fuss, wake up with balloons and do a big family FaceTime.
Last year we started the tradition of hanging a photo, baking a cake and buying flowers for my dadโs birthday too even though he passed away a few years ago, just as a way to celebrate his life.
Anonymous
I love that my family always did big holidays together. Easter, Christmas and big public holidays were always spent with our extended family. It wasnโt something we ever questioned as kids. We just new we would be seeing our cousins, aunts and uncles on the next holiday.
All of the cousins in our family are now over 18 and living in different places but when spending time together itโs awesome to see how many shared memories we have of growing up and having these occasions together. Weโve got this bond thatโs hard to break!
Anonymous
Not really. We were very poor and didn’t have happy traditions. It was all about surviving so trying to do better with our kids.
Anonymous
Growing up, my mom would go all out for holidays that involved a character. For eg, Easter, Christmas, the tooth mouse, etc.
Every time a tooth fell out, she would make little mouse paw prints around our rooms using flour & write a little note from the โtooth mouseโ thanking us for our baby tooth.
Every Easter, she would leave chocolate covered peanuts around the house claiming them to be the Easter bunnyโs โbok droltjiesโ.
Her efforts will never be forgotten & itโs something Iโd love to introduce into my family one day.
Anonymous
I love how my family does Sundays. Its changed a little as we’ve grown up, but when we were young, it was such a special family day. We’d start the day with church, and then we’d prepare lunch – either a big roast or have a braai under a massive tree in the garden. Usually friends and neighbours would come over to join us.
We’d spend the whole day in the garden. It was a no TV day, and it was the only day of the week we were allowed a cool drink – some days we were even allowed a beer shandy (mostly lemonade, and a tiny drop of my dad’s beer). It was such a treat! For dinner. After a big lunch, we’d have breakfast for dinner – either scrambled eggs or French toast. I loved those slow days, and I’ll definitely instil them in my own family one day.
Anonymous
Yes! Using a dice whilst opening Christmas presents. Everyone gets a number and you can only open a present when your number is rolled. Growing up in a family that didnโt have looooads of presents come Christmas time, this always made the moment last longer and diverted our attention from the โlackโ into fun.
Anonymous
Early Birthday Wakeups???? as horrible as that may sound to a non-morning person… hear me out.
As far as I know my grandparents started the tradition. Everyone in the house is gathered on the morning of your birthday, usually before work or school with presents, tea, and coffee in hand. Then a light knock on the door is least of your worries because next thing you know the whole family bursts in singing happy birthday! Once everyone has said their wishes and you’ve managed to wake up enough to sit up, everyone gathers around your bed while you open up your presents.
I get that for some an ideal wakeup on your birthday would be a late lie in. But there is something special about waking up on such an exciting day, surrounded by the people you love spoiling you.
You’re made to feel special from before you’re awake! And in everyone’s extremely busy lives it’s one of the few times in a day you’re all in the same place at the same time.
Plus sometimes there’s cake. And you can’t convince me cake for breakfast isn’t great.