For Lily's 8th birthday we didn't do a party with tons of friends and games and present opening and a theme.... instead we had a weekend long celebration that included craft time with Mom, daily gift openings, a trip to see the Faberge exhibition at the Houston Science museum (her choice, that girl loves anything pretty), a picnic, a movie (The Toothfairy, which was very cute and surprisingly funny).
But the most special part involved a family tradition: when I was 8 I got my ears pierced in a department store in Dublin. So after much anticipation and discussion and forward looking we took Lily to Claire's at the Mall to get her ears pierced. She chose purple studs.
I love the whole idea of creating new family traditions. It would have been so easy to miss this, and take her any old time to get her ears done. But having that date in time 'on your 8th birthday you will get your ears pierced just like Mommy' sets the event apart, underlines it, makes it extra special. My other girls are already talking about their 8th birthday piercings! And I just know that one day their little girls will anticipate it too.
I am trying to think of other things to turn into traditions, such as getting your first box of oil paints at age 12 or the last weekend in the month is date with dad.... Does your family have any special traditions? Will you share them with me?
Traditions are one of the things that bond families together. Our tradition for ear piercing for the girls is for when they turn 13. One way we make becoming a teen special.
ReplyDeleteEach of the children have a special day or evening out with mommy or daddy for one-on-one time on a regular basis. It may be to go shopping, to get something to eat, to the park to play, fishing, or just a walk around the neighborhood.
On Christmas eve, we always let the children open one gift. The rest are saved for Christmas morning.
I'm sure there are others, but I'll have to think on it.
I look forward to hearing others' traditions.
Trudy
Coordinator for The Artistic Mother's Group
www.artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com
hi shona! sounds like a delightful 8th birthday! ...our oldest son got his ear pierced at age 12..not because 12 is a magic number around here but it was when he wanted it & that seemed old enough. does talking about the birds & the bees count as a tradition, tied with what age we present that as parents? we introduced that around age 8/9! mama mia!! lol to you!
ReplyDeleteFor us it was age 12 that we first got to wear nylons and short heels.
ReplyDeleteMy son got his ear pierced at age 12 too for the same reason Rachel's son did.
When I had a sex talk with my son at age six he frankly told me that he didn't have to worry about that because he was never going to get married because he was going to be an artist and needed to to concentrate!
Kim
This is lovely - what a wonderful way to celebrate! (I love the photo of her getting her ears pierced as well...)
ReplyDeleteI wish we had more family traditions - we're in the process of creating them. My father didn't let me get my ears pierced until I was 16 - I don't think I'll continue that rule with our daughter. :)
Happy (belated) Birthday to Lily!
My family has a ton of traditions! I also was able to get my ears pierced at age 8, I was able to start going on dates at 16, we had a family night once a week (where we'd play games, talk, and just get together) every sunday was a big family dinner, growing up we'd have daddy daughter date nights, my dad would take us to a movie, or dinner around our birthday. There are more, but I can't think of them...
ReplyDeleteWe have tons of traditions for each holiday as well.
I've only been married for 6 months, so my husband and I have yet to really set our own traditions.
On Christmas Eve, we gave each other a pair of pajamas, and a book. I'm so excited to make traditions with him, and our kids when we have them.
Family traditions are a really nice as a signature that marks the family. We haven't yet any tradition set in place, but I love the idea of the milestone birthday when you get your ears pierced! My daughter just turned four.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Happy Belated Birthday to Lily! I can't believe she's 8! :-)
ReplyDeleteI wanted to "pop over" and say congratulations on publishing your book. I'm so proud of you! I read a message Trudy had posted about the new group, and I was excited that the book was by you!!! (And, yes, I joined the group! Should get your book tomorrow in the mail.)
My daughter, Alexandra, is now 9. It has been a long time since we've seen each other. And, I didn't realize you now had 5 children! I think you had 3 last time I saw you, though maybe you had 4 last time we talked.
Anyway, I like this post about traditions. I've been meaning to post about it myself! I wish we had more traditions and am trying to create some new ones.
Lastly, I went to Dublin this summer. Is that where you are from? :-) We really enjoyed our trip. It was our first time overseas and we loved both Ireland & Scotland.
I'd love to hear from you!
Dana (drleeds at sbcglobal dot net)
I love this post! As a brand new mom I've been thinkimg alot about creating traditions and ways to celebrate milestones in our baby daughters life. I got my ears pierced at 9 but it wasn't for a special occasion. I think we're going to wait until our daughter gets her first period and allow her to peirce her ears then. Thats also when she'll be allowed to start wearing makeup on special occasions. I want to mark her passage into womanhood as something really special. on New Years day (which happens to be her bday as well as our wedding anniversary) we make a list of things we want to do in the coming year. Not resolutions, just fun goals & activities. I'm looking to add more traditions & little rituals to enrich to our family life.
ReplyDeletethanks guys for weighing in on this, being thoughtful, sharing about your traditions and glad I could get you thinking about developing more! ohh, not looking forward to birds and bees talks!!!
ReplyDeleteshona
Happy birthday Lily! I hope you love having your ears pierced!
ReplyDeleteOur family tradition is that the birthday person gets to pick the main course for a home cooked family dinner.
Have a great weekend.
jj
well...when my sisters ...4....and i were 7 we got our bride dolls....it was an ok tradition, but i didn't pass it on to my daughters...what is a tradition is getting jamkmies for easter, and a new set of jammies for christmas eve....birthday dinner picks, but not too many others...i am fairly hopeless at organising, v tad whimsical i guess you could say, so traditions are a bit out the window for me!!!!wish i did have more...maybe i will try to start a new one this year...mmm...now what can it be!!!???xxx
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! My parents gave me certain ages that I would achieve special privileges and responsibilities too, and I think it's a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, my mother always said that there was plenty of time to do everything, she stretched things out like this too, although I had to wait till 10 to get my ears pierced, another tradition she had was that I couldnt indulge in tea or coffee until I got my period, It was an event where you transitioned into woman hood and could have your tea with the grown ups! much to her discust by the time this era came along i thought tea was discusting!! and wouldnt even drink it with her hahaha. I never got into tea till I was 21.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea for traditions for my daughter and feel that Im collecting aswell, she will be two in a few weeks, so this post has been very inspirational, thanks so much!!
xxx
sheree
Lovely post. My sister and I talk about this a lot, my daughter just turned 8, my niece turns 8 in a few weeks. Ear piercing is the special event for when the girls turn 10 -- the double digit birthday.
ReplyDeleteMy son turns 10 in May, but I don't have any equivalent "special" thing for him. He is such a conservative little soul - no interest in piercings. Any suggestions?
I have boys so I never got to experience the fun girlie rituals! :( Here's an idea for your boys though, a certain age that they can drive a motorized dirt bike or snowmobile or boat(or the classes) or take gun safety classes -- These were all very important to my boys. I do try (even now as the last one is a teenager) to spend one evening a week doing something together.
ReplyDelete