Kids and Flowers...

When my first child was getting ready to start school a friend suggested I send her flowers on her first day. To remember the day and as something special from Daddy. I thought that was great advice and did exactly that. And I've done it every first day of school since then, for all my kids all the way through college.

I've talked about building memories and how important that is. I've talked about not just saying "I Love You" but doing special things to show it...special does not have to mean big, showy or expensive. It can be something as simple as sending a picture from the cell phone to share a memory (see earlier post). Bu special should include something special...flowers.

Flowers are a very significant way to say I am thinking about you. They take effort to order and they are not cheap. And they last. Mostly, they are showy to OTHERS and girls like others knowing they got flowers (I am told it is a girl thing). My kids not only expect them they look forward to them and it has made that first day of school special. I am amazed at how important this has become to them.

I've done this even for my son. When I only sent him a candy basket he and his sisters wanted to know where the flowers were! Go figure. (No, he is not girly. Far from it. He is a big, brawny guy.) It is the flowers and the thought. They'll be very low key but if they come later than they expect suddenly questions start to fly!

I sent flowers to my daughter in college today. It was her first day of class. I wonder if she has gotten them. If not, I wonder if she's remembered it is Flower Day? I'm waiting for the call from her! Those are my memories, too.