Instagram message: Leprechauns, you can now sign up for thoughtfulpinch.com emails. #phew! still learning...
Today my kids will wake up to find a card to start their St. Patrick's Day off with a little thoughtful pinch. After they have read the cards, I will keep them for later when they are tucked into bed for the night. On the inside flaps of those same cards, I plan to write a recap of the day. I'll add notes about each of their interests or say what they dislike, share a funny or sweet story, or mention a milestone that they may have accomplished since the last holiday etc. Then I will toss the cards into a box with past holiday cards that were given and written the same way. This has taken the place of journaling or scrapbooking for me. I can usually remember what happened between holidays but if I waited till the end of the year for a recap - I'd be TOAST! My hope is that one day when my kids are older, these little pinches will be read and treasured.
Because time flies, I always make sure to write the year on the cards. I try to pick cards that fit each child. These are two different cards for my two very different kids. ($1 for two at Dollar Tree).
This pinch is not about killing yourself to get a card for every single holiday to write profound memoirs. If you miss a holiday or two or nine, you are still better off than not journaling at all. Do what you can. No one is ever going to look back at their memories and be upset that you missed notes on what happened on St. Patrick's Day 2015. That's what hashtags are for. #Phew! By the way, whether you have tiny kids, older kids, grandkids or no kids, this pinch could be shared with any loved one. Including a spouse (fun for newlyweds), parents, partners, special friends, relatives, roommates and yes, I'll say it, your loyal pet .
Be thoughtful to someone today - maybe while you're jigging, drinking, watching March Madness, eating corned beef, wearing green or writing in a card - you never know if the thought could matter years from now.
Pinches,
Barb