Realistic Valentine’s Day Gifts For Parents

Valentine’s Day in New Zealand and Australia isn’t as big a deal as it is in America; and I know a lot of people feel like “you shouldn’t need one day of the year to show your partner appreciation, it should be all the time”. However I kind of love Valentine’s Day.

I don’t care it’s a commercial day, where everything seems more expensive for the week before it. For me it’s the thought behind it. Like Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day; it’s about appreciating your partner or celebrating your love for someone else.

Especially as parents – when we can get very consumed in our lives as Mother and Father. Sometimes it takes that one day a year to do something; and that’s ok.

HOWEVER, because we are parents, we often don’t have time to sort something out. Parenting is busy. Parenting is hectic. Parenting is all-consuming. So I have put together some ideas on how to do Valentine’s Day when you have kids. These are must-have Valentine’s Day gifts for parents:

• A sleep in and breakfast in bed (while someone else looks after the kids)
• A voucher to Kmart, or Bunnings, or their favourite store PLUS someone else look after the kids so they can go and spend the voucher, and have time alone
• Flowers, a coffee and a trashy magazine – and time to enjoy all three ALONE
• A bottle of wine, chocolate and an uninterrupted Netflix binge session
• Whoever doesn’t normally make dinner, MAKE DINNER; and let your partner enjoy a beer or wine while you do it
• When the kids go to bed, order takeaways and sit together watching a movie you love
• A whole day off parenting – plan a day where the kids go to a Grandparents house, and enjoy the day together
• Take the day off work and help your partner out at home (if Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday)
• Have a “Partner’s Choice” Day – meaning your partner chooses what to do and what you do ALL day
• Someone do all the house chores for the day (preferably the person who doesn’t usually do it)

Solo parent on Valentine’s Day? Then how about a little self-love (not in the dodgy way … well if you want to you can LOLOL). Just because you’re not in a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate yourself and all that you do:

• Put the kids to bed and enjoy a glass of wine watching your favourite show
• Treat yourself to a meal you wouldn’t usually eat
• Buy yourself flowers and chocolates
• Buy your favourite flavoured ice cream and eat it all yourself
• Book the kids in with their grandparents and have a “day off” (if that’s possible)
• You can also celebrate with your kids as well: make a special breakfast, enjoy an outing together, or simply snuggle up and watch a movie.

Overall, Valentine’s Day is about celebrating those you love. You love yourself, you love your partner, you love your kids; it doesn’t matter who you celebrate with, it’s just nice to do it.

Valentine’s Day also doesn’t have to be expensive, and in reality I would always prefer time to myself over flowers. A gesture will always mean more than a gift.

But as you all know, you can also never go wrong with a bottle of wine and a Kmart voucher ?

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