A Busy Mom’s Guide to Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a very special holiday that children especially enjoy, as they love to exchange colorful valentines with their friends.

Valentine’s Day presents a wonderful opportunity for quality time with our families, and doesn’t have to be stressful!

The first suggestion for minimizing stress is NOT to try to get restaurant reservations on the actual date of Valentine’s Day. Restaurants are usually very crowded, and service can be poor. Why not plan a special meal with your mate on the weekend before, or after?

Another idea is to plan your own holiday meal, and let the children help. Red foods such as lasagna or pastas fit well with the theme of Valentine’s Day; after the children go to bed, you and your mate can share some chocolate truffles and champagne by candlelight without the crowds and hassles.

Cherry tomatoes are also festive; a delicious and kid-friendly stir-fry can be made in minutes using steak or chicken strips, frozen pea pods, and cherry tomatoes. An authentic Oriental stir-fry sauce can be made using ¼ cup of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon ginger, 1 tablespoon sherry or rice wine, 2 cut green onions, and 1 tablespoon corn starch. Mix well, and add during the last minutes of cooking.

The school valentine exchange can be made more meaningful if you help your children design their own valentines instead of purchasing the costly and often small ones available at your local grocery store. Hearts cut out of red construction paper and trimmed with edging from doilies are very easy to do. A white heart can be placed in the center with a personal message for each classmate written in colorful pen or pencil. Small candies can be taped to each valentine for an added touch. Computer generated valentines also allow for creativity – programs such as Microsoft Publisher have many templates to choose from that allow your children to choose and paste colorful clip art on them.

Another great way to bond with your children over this holiday is to make a heart cake. Most craft stores will carry a heart shaped cake pan at this time of year. Simply make a cake mix, bake it in the pan, then allow the children to decorate it using a purchased icing mix and small cinnamon candies. If you aren’t overly fond of cinnamon, any combination of candies will make your cake look festive and delicious.

I hope your Valnetine’s Day is less stressful this year: make your plans now, and enjoy your special day.