Making Memories That Will Last Forever

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

pexels-photo-23971Google Image

Have you ever looked at your children when they are teenagers – or beyond – and wished you could go back in time to enjoy a day when they were little? I certainly have.

Children grow up so incredibly fast! It’s almost like you blink and they are grown. All the way through childhood they are making firsts: Their first word, their first steps, their first day of school. There is so much to relish and celebrate about these milestones that you almost forget about the time whizzing past.

Kids need a solid grounding and good examples to learn from, therefore conscientious parents want their kids to remember their childhood fondly, and with love. Their formative years are important because they’re going to remember certain things forever, so if you do fun things together as a family, they will remember these events fondly for the rest of their days. Here are some ideas on how to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Play with paint

It’s a great idea to teach a child creativity from a very young age. If they learn not to be afraid of a blank page, they will probably go on to create great things. (As a writer, I have faced that blank page many times.) One of the most imaginative and artistic things you can do with your children is to create and paint together. Let them go wild with crayons, colouring pencils, acrylic and water paint, and glue. They will feel proud of their results in the moment, and it will be fun to look back on their creations together in the future.

Pose for a picture

The wonderful thing about smartphones is that you have a camera almost always at hand. This give you the chance to capture as many candid photos of your children as possible. And don’t forget taking videos of them. If you would like something a bit more professional, a photographer can give you great results. A professional family photo is something that everyone loves to look back on because it perfectly captures a moment in time you can cherish forever. Not only will you have the physical photos, but you’ll have great memories of the actual day as well.

Read stories together

owlpussycat

My girl’s favourite: The Owl & The Pussycat

This was a big one for me when I raised my kids. When your children are little, it’s a great idea to get into the habit of reading them a book every evening. This not only calms them before they sleep, but it also helps them learn. The stories that you first read them will probably stay with them forever. Almost everyone can remember the first book that they loved to have read to them. It’s a child’s way of really using their imagination to form the pictures in their mind. Keep a couple of their favorite books for you to show them when they are grown up.

Cook together

If you can teach your children a family recipe that has been passed down through the ages, they’ll remember it forever. A cherished recipe can be pulled out and enjoyed again and again, and it will strengthen the memory for your child of when you first made it together. 

img_2022

Our boy making muffins!

Notice the recurring theme here? Creative endeavors seem to be the best way to make memories for you and your family!

What do you and your children do to make memories that will last a lifetime?

24 thoughts on “Making Memories That Will Last Forever”

  1. Love this Jennifer the more creative play the better. I remember when the kids were little we use to get paint brushes and water and paint water pictures on the cement. No mess and lots of fun. Ah the memories, trying to create new ones as they hit the teens.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Willow needs no help there often teacher herself new skills online. The boy, well he likes sketching cartoons and so I am trying to find a cool book and pens to encourage his comic strips. Kids are so lucky today there really is no excuse for not getting creative.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  2. Jennifer, seeing the book: “The Owl and the Pussycat” sure brought back fond memories of my favorite thing to do with my children when they were little–reading. We still enjoy reminiscing about characters and plots. I love the picture of your muffin maker. 🙂
    Blessings ~ Wendy

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Wendy! Denise LOVED that book, and still does. Precious memories are made when you read good books together, no doubt about that.
      I love that pic too. There was a time he hated getting his picture taken, but he seems to be getting over that now. 🙂
      I sent you a message on nanowrimo.org, but I guess you don’t visit the site much. How’s the writing going?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I’ll go check it now. I’m writing more than ever since I’ve been contributing podcasts to HopeStreamRadio.com now. I’ve also been writing both fiction and nonfiction on the side while I edit projects I hope to query in 2017. I’m behind in visiting blogs, so I’m catching up on what everyone else is doing. 🙂 It looks like you’re doing very well. Congratulations, Jennifer. Blessings for the upcoming holidays. ❤

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

                1. Sorry it took me awhile to get to this!
                  Wendy, you sound so much like me at the beginning of the podcast. I much prefer the structured event to the nerve-wracking, unstructured social affair. And like you, up until only recently, I believed I was somehow flawed because of it. Thankfully, I’ve come to realize that I am just fine the way I am. 🙂

                  Liked by 1 person

                  Reply

  4. Luckily, any mistakes we make, we can fix as grandparents. I’m sure I didn’t play enough with my children. It didn’t hurt how close we are, but I will definitely play more with my grandkids (if they ever arrive!)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. We do so many things. We’re very fortunate in that my husband and I were youth leaders at our church for many years. That meant we acted goofy and played all kinds of games with our kids and their friends. We enjoyed and still enjoy hanging out with them and their friends, playing games, going places and being included. Our empty nest has fluttering in and out with lots of young people. We expect to have lots of people in our house and pull out games like Catan, and Ticket To Ride, or cards. Whatever. It’s all fun. Time together is a treasure and a tradition.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. That’s wonderful, Lisa! You remind me of when I was a Girl Guide leader and all the crafts, games, camping and badge work we used to do. It was a lot of fun spending time with the girls doing wholesome stuff like that. And now it’s grandparent time. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. So glad to read that, Karen. It’s so easy to fall into the nightly world of television and video games, and forget about the things in life that allow us to use our imaginations more. We never need to outgrow any of those activities you mention. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Talk to me.