Can we just take a moment to pause for the cuteness?!? This was S two years ago... and I can't believe how small she was. and how big she is now. Oh my heart!
All right, motherly moment aside...
Once upon a long time ago my dear friendy friend Jen mentioned offhandedly that every afternoon around three, her family sat together around the table, drank tea, and read books. Her husband works from home, so he would join them, and her older kids are big enough to read to themselves, so each family member read their own book quietly... but they all paused in the middle of the day with a good book and tea. How dreamy is that??
The notion has stuck with me ever since. Just recently we've begun our own afternoon tea time. My husband isn't home, and my kids aren't yet independent readers, so alas, it isn't a time for me to catch up on my TBR stack... but it is a nice time nevertheless.
Every day after nap time I fix up a pot of tea, give the kids each their own cup and saucer and a snack, and sit down with a large stack of books at the table. I read to them while they munch and sip, and I usually manage to down my own pick-me-up cup of caffeine and sneak a few bites in between stories.
Lately they have been loving reading from The Original Mother Goose {click here for a list of Mother Goose recommendations}. We also love Beatrix Potter, The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, and other such classics specifically at tea time.
The tea set I use makes this daily ritual feel like a special occasion. I also try to put their snacks on pretty bowls or plates to be festive.
Looking back on my own childhood I remember spending many snowy winter afternoons at the kitchen table. My mom read the Chronicles of Narnia to us, and my sisters and I would drink hot chocolate while we drew pictures. It was a special time, and still makes me happy when I think back on it as an adult.
Maybe afternoon tea specifically isn't your thing. But I believe its important to craft intentional, fun structures into the everyday life of your family. These are the traditions that shape childhoods, build lots of good memories, and bring meaning to the word "home." Whether it's Friday night pizza dinners, special weekend breakfasts, or wrestling with Dad every night after dinner- taking time to create a family culture is a gift to both parents and kiddos.
So let's make afternoon tea time {or your own personal equivalent} a thing.
What family activities mark your childhood memories? How have you created a distinct family culture in your home?
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