Creating memories has always been at the center of my parenting style. It is important to me that my children be able to look back on their life and smile. Know they were loved beyond words. Remember it as a time filled with happiness, laughter, and fun.

Making this a priority is not always easy. Work, school, activities, obligations, life all get in the way. If I’m really honest, many days I’m tired. Distracted even. Just getting through the day is a struggle let alone add in the complexity of making it memorable.

Through the years I have often shared photos on social media. People would joke that I needed to stop because it was making them look like a bad parent. The intention was never to make someone feel guilty or imply a competition. I simply shared because they were good moments for us. If anything, my hope was to inspire other parents to do the same.

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received came shortly before Sienna (8 months) was born. It came from a former boss and mentor as I was transitioning from a corporate track to a mommy focused track. He said to me, “Emily, you can never go wrong investing in family. It is the greatest investment you will ever make and the rewards will be tenfold.”

Looking back on the last year, he is absolutely right!

I will never regret the decision to make a life change and stay home with my kids. The last 9-months of Cameron’s life, I was here. No distractions from work. No travel. My energy was focused on family. I am beyond thankful for that!

So today I thought I’d share my tips. It’s really the small things that make the biggest impact. I know, because these are the things my kids continuously remember year-over-year. The memories they already talk about. So this is where I try to focus my time creating memories as we go forward. They don’t need to cost anything! Just a little bit of time.

4 Easy Ways to Create Memories

1. Read Together – I can tell you for a fact one of Cameron’s favorite memories was the two of us reading books together. We would sit on his bed and read chapter books together. Sometimes he would read his Magic Tree House books to me. This was something we started when he was young. He used to love reading to Melia. Before he passed, this was a big part of what we did. It’s something I’m working to bring back.
2. Make Everything a Surprise – Even the smallest thing. Make a big deal out of it. For example, I would tell them on the way to school that I had a surprise for them. The kids would get all excited. After school they would be dying to find out. Sometimes we would go to the park. Sometimes I would have a little something I had bought (silly string, gum, candy). Other times it was an activity I had planned at home (a picnic, water balloons, roasting s’mores). There were even a couple of times it was a surprise house guest (Grandma coming to town). I would never tell them until we arrived or it was time. Regardless of what it was, they were so happy! It was a great lesson in being appreciative. A big part of our conversation was around being thankful. That there was effort put into something special for them.
3. Make Holidays Special – My kids consistently ask me what the next holiday is. When is it coming. There are certain things we do that they just look forward to. At Valentine’s Day they get a little box with a few treats inside. At Easter, we do our own egg hunt in the yard and they love hunting for their baskets. This past Halloween, I surprised them by setting up a mini Halloween party after school one day with some treats and games. On their birthday, they always wake up to balloons and decorations. For Christmas we decorate the tree, gingerbread houses, and cookies together. We always reinforce the idea that family time together is what is most important.
4. Eat Dinner Together – This seems basic, but it’s the place where we talk about our day. Their favorite thing that happened at school, and then the thing they liked least. We get to hear them talk about their friends and tell their stories. Reinforce things we did and what was important about them. A big part of creating memories is talking about them. Remembering them. Dinnertime is a great place to do that.

Do you have any tips for creating memories?