birthday affirmations: a gift worth remembering
Because I’m still eating Lemon Rosemary Cake from Sara’s recent birthday celebration. And because there are only so many ways to know if you’re mothering right … I want to share a family secret.
It’s something we started doing years ago. And it’s called Birthday Affirmations. Yes, that might sound weird or cheesy but it’s probably one of the most important things we do as a family.
Y’all know I’m all about diving deep in conversation at the table. That’s why I’m such a freak about conversation starters. So add in a birthday and you’ve got all out celebration + affirmation going on.
Goes something like this: You’ve finished a meal of all their favorites. The birthday cake makes an appearance at the table and then you say: Okay, it’s time to affirm the birthday girl. Who wants to start?
Then one by one, the people at the table say something nice, affirming and encouraging.
Questions to think about:
What do you see God doing in that person? What three things are you grateful for in that person? How has the birthday girl or boy grown over the past year? What character qualities do you see? How have they made you smile, cry (in a good way) or laugh over the last year? How are they impacting their peer group or community for good?
Answer those kinds of questions. Affirm. Uplift. Throw all kinds of soul-ish confetti on your beloved birthday girl or boy.
In our home, no one escapes affirmations. In addition, everyone participates. E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e. My kids kinda know that whoever they invite to a birthday dinner will be expected to jump in with affirmations. A couple years back, Sara invited six of her friends to dinner. And all six girls affirmed Sara. None of those girls had any ‘affirmation’ experience. In the end, most of them cried. Not because they were embarrassed and didn’t know what to say. Nope. They cried because it was so meaningful and powerful. Way more than a meal.
If you’re entering the birthday season at your house, bake cake and celebrate! (Oh, my. Gotta try Kristin’s Lemon Rosemary Cake. Everybody in my family loved it!) And let us know …
How do you celebrate birthdays in a meaningful way in your family?
Week 16 ‘Birthday’ Menu
birthday affirmations {conversation starters}