Simple Pleasures
Cashing in a Gift Card
With all of the bills that need to be paid, it's easy to deny those small splurges. Dig out those birthday/holiday gift cards and get something nice for yourself. "When you're a parent, you focus so much of your time, energy and money on your kids. Splurging on yourself once in a while is a great way to reenergize and focus on yourself," says Solar.
Celebrating a Team Win
"We all feel great when our team wins, and celebrating as a family is a great way to strengthen your family bond!" says Solar. So, throw on your favorite team gear, serve up a few beverages, and dig into those nachos—your team is about to play.
Cheering Your Child's Report Card
A's and B's are definitely reasons to celebrate. It means that all those nights of homework help did not go to waste. Make a special dinner, or bake a cake. "To kids, everything seems big and worthy of lavish attention and praise. When we celebrate a good report card as a family, kids learn to be proud of themselves and to continue working hard on good grades," Solar says.
Finishing a Good Book
Whether it's a mystery, romance or nonfiction bestseller, books are a great way of escaping the pressures of everyday life. So if you finish one, get another, stat. "The books we read can make a huge impact on our lives and the lives of our kids! I have a good collection of parenting books, and I'm always thrilled to add another to my collection because I know each one shapes the way we're raising our family," Solar says.
Meeting a Savings Goal
Putting every penny away for a long period of time may seem daunting, but the outcome far outweighs the sacrifices. "Not only should we celebrate the fruits of our diligence, devotion and patience—we should pause and witness the miracle that small things tended over time can become enormous gifts," says life coach and author Lauren Rosenfeld.
Celebrating a Milestone
Whether it's a kindergarten graduation, first sporting event, first sleepover or another big step, celebrating childhood milestones can be fun for the whole family. "Growth happens in our children's lives constantly, and often we miss it because we are moving so quickly in life," Rosenfeld says. "It's important to pause in moments such as these to really celebrate their physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth.
"Any parent of a graduating senior will tell you that they blinked and their children were out the door and off to start their adult lives. We need to pause at milestones along the way to take stock of the journey we are blessed enough to take with them," she says.
