💕 Taking The Pressure Off of Valentine's Day

Somewhere after having our third kid, I realized something had to give. Not because I don’t love holidays or special moments, but because the pressure I was putting on myself wasn’t serving anyone. Especially not me.

Valentine’s Day was one of those moments. I used to feel like it needed to be extra special. Cute plans. Meaningful traditions. Something memorable. But what feels special to me as a mom isn’t actually what my kids need in order to feel special.

That shift has changed everything.

Now, instead of trying to create a big celebration that matches up to what I see online, I look for tiny ways to make an ordinary day feel a little special. Things that don’t require a big show, but something they actually love!

Sometimes that looks like piling into the car after dinner, pajamas already on, and heading through the Chick-fil-a drive thru for ice cream. No changing clothes. No sitting inside. A fun surprise that requires minimal effort and planning.

A few years ago I did a balloon arch for Valentines day and my kids were not impressed. Rookie mistake on my part, because kids don’t care about looking at balloons, they want to play with them! Waking up to a bedroom with a few red and pink helium balloons is so magical and adds extra fun for a few more days. Even balloons blown up on the floor or on the dinning table is a big deal for my kids!

Those are the things they remember.

As parents, especially moms, it’s easy to confuse effort with impact. We think doing more means loving more. But kids feel love in consistency, attention, and shared joy. Not perfection.

After three kids, I’ve learned that special doesn’t have to be hard. It just has to be their type of special!

This Valentine’s Day, I’m giving myself permission to keep it simple. To choose what works for our family. To let go of the idea that it has to look a certain way, but only do what is going to make my kids feel special!

Because when mom is less stressed, the whole day feels lighter. And that, more than anything, is what makes it special.