WebParenTips - The Online Parenting Newsletter
vol.8 no.2, February 7, 2007


A VALENTINE'S DAY SUGGESTION

Most of us live far away from a bunch of people in our family that we love but don't get to see very often. I'm an example. I live across the country from my mother, aunt, nieces, nephews, and cousins. None of my four children or five grandchildren live nearby. When I was a child we lived in one flat of a three-family house and my grandparents lived in another so I saw them every day and practiced on my grandmother's piano downstairs.

It saddened me that my children were growing up without Grandma and Grandpa nearby. It saddens me now to be so far away from the grandkids. When my twin grandchildren were born my husband and I flew to see then every six to eight weeks for the first couple of years so we would become a part of their lives. It worked! We are close--by telephone and email and as many visits as we can manage.

I suggest, in addition to buying cards and candy this year, you get out the photo albums and show your children pictures of their relatives. You can explain the relationships, tell stories about your experiences with these people, and get in some propaganda about the importance of family. Older kids can write valentine messages to faraway relatives while younger ones can draw pictures.

Love starts a family, we learn how to love from living in a loving family, and a family nourishes and maintains love as long as we live. Celebrate your family this Valentine's Day!

Marilyn Heins, M.D.

For parenting information, a free monthly newsletter, a personal answer to your parenting questions, or to order my parenting book, "ParenTips" visit my website, http://www.ParentKidsRight.com.


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Dr. Marilyn Heins is a Tucson pediatrician, parenting
columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, author of the book,
ParenTips, as well as a mother, stepmother and grandmother.

She is available for workshops and lectures to groups of
parents, teachers, and grandparents. See: Dr. Heins' Lectures
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More parenting information can be found in Dr. Heins' book, ParenTips