Valentine’s day is here and I was lost for what activity to do with E. so I decided to do nothing. This is not totally true, but we didn’t really talk that much of this holiday this year. Instead she read about it. Read about how much I love her.

Every day starting on the 1st of February I put out a new heart on her door saying why I love her so much. It went up to Valetine’s day. At first I thought she wasn’t that much interested (she often forgot to read her daily heart) but then around the 8th February she told me she couldn’t find a new heart on her door.

I made 3-4 hearts at a time and I tried to reinforce the nice and loveable things she had been doing.

Here are some ideas what you can write on your hearts to your kids or to your partner as they work really well in lunch boxes or as secret messages in your hubby’s pocket.

You’re creative.

You’re kind.

You’re the best big sister.

You’re my sunshine.

You are a fantastic friend.

You have a great sense of humour.

You’re one in a million

You’re beautiful.

You’re so creative.

You mean the world to me.

You express your feelings.

Your imagination is wonderful.

You’re a great problem-solver.

You’re helpful.

You’re a great reader.

You speak English very well.

You never give up.

You’re always by my side.

You hug like noone else.

Your kisses are the sweetest.

There are 20 on the list but it is advisable to use the ones that apply to the days of February in case of a child as they can connect to it more easily, what’s more, it can serve as a basis of discussion. In the last couple of days E. asked me why I put on some of the hearts and I gave her examples how caring she was with her little sister or how she helped around the house, how amazingly she communicated with N, our native nanny, or how she shared with me what made her angry or sad that day.

This display of love can work any time of the year, at a birthday or around Christmas but Valentine’s day can serve as a reason if need one at all.

Happy Valentine’s Day!