Author Chat with Julie Lavender on Her Book, 365 Ways to Love Your Child
When we think of love, our minds typically run toward romantic love, especially around Valentine’s Day. While I will forever champion the sacred, intimate love between a husband and wife, I am also so grateful for the other types of love that enrich my life.
Married or single, we can all choose to experience God’s love for us as our Savior, Lord, and Father. We all also have parents, and many of you are parents yourselves. The parent-child relationship is an incredible opportunity to express love. That’s why today, I am so excited and honored to introduce you to my friend Julie Lavender who shares about her new book 365 Ways to Love Your Child. Whether you’re a parent, aunt, uncle, or big brother or sister, this book will bless your life.
Please join me in welcoming Julie, and enjoy our chat today.
Q: What prompted you to write this book?
As a military family, we moved often during our twenty years in the Navy. Living in nine houses in six states, our homeschooling family made lots of memories. And, we found that sometimes it was the “little” moments that created the most meaningful memories. I wanted to encourage parents to be intentional to make those special memories with their kids, to remind them that the moments don’t have to be monumental to be momentous!
Making memories as a family helps a child feel loved and valued. Those memories create a bond with a common language of shared experiences. They create a forever-sense of common identity with that family unit, which elicits a feeling of belonging. The activities and suggestions in my book have the potential to make special memories with children every day, helping them feel loved and valued. And, most importantly, through the expressions of parental love, kids get a glimpse of the unfathomable love of the Heavenly Father.
I know how busy parents are these days, and I wanted to create a collection of ideas, 365 of them, to give suggestions to show love to a child and make memories while doing so.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
I hope 365 Ways to Love Your Child will encourage readers to find ways each day to show love to their child, through one of the suggestions in my book or from a unique family idea sparked while reading my book.
But, I also remind parents in a letter in the back of the book to extend grace to themselves on days when “life” is so busy that they can just barely get through the needed responsibilities of the day. Sometimes, we can be hard on ourselves when our family’s life doesn’t match all the families on Pinterest or other social media, and we need to remember that’s not every day, real life – just a snapshot of a moment in time. So, I encourage parents to give themselves grace on those too-busy days and to know that tomorrow is another day and another chance to show love and make a fun memory!
Q: Most people think of Valentine’s Day in terms of romantic relationships, but how does this holiday offer an opportunity for parents and adults to show love to children as well?
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to remind children how treasured and special they are. It’s the perfect day to remind kids that God knit their family together, just the way He wanted the family to be – either through birth, adoption, or fostering – and each member of the family is valued and loved.
Make it a fun celebration, with silly activities like a drop or two of red food coloring in the mashed potatoes for a pink side dish and strawberry milk with dinner and red velvet cake for dessert. Strawberries and pink grits for breakfast. Heart shaped notes hidden in the drawer with the toothbrushes and on top of the pillow and inside the school shoes for the day. Turn the day into reds and pinks and hearts and fun, with lots of hugs and kisses. And, who says it has to be celebrated on the 14th? If parents have a date night planned for Valentine’s Day, then turn another day just before or after the 14th for a family Valentine’s festivity!
Q: What is something you did as a parent that turned into a meaningful memory for your children?
Speaking of notes, I LOVED writing cheesy notes to go along with silly holidays for my kids! There are lots of sites online that list a holiday for every day. Sometimes, I found a random object in the house to go along with the note, and sometimes I purchased a small trinket to go with the note.
Here’s a few examples: For National Cheese Day, I pulled out my cheese grater from the kitchen. I put it on the table before lunch with a note that said, “I think you’re GRATE!” and we celebrated with grilled cheese sandwiches. For National Aviation Day, I bought those inexpensive glider airplanes and gave each child one with a note that said, “Your love gives me wings.” We played for hours outside with the planes! On National Sock Day, I gave each child a new pair of socks with a note stuffed inside that said, “I love you from your head to your toes.” Can you believe there’s a holiday in October that’s called “Name Your Car Day?” Well, for that day, I bought small, plastic, inexpensive cars for each child with a note that said, “I wheel love you 4-ever!” These are just a few examples, but I did this for years, randomly so there was always the element of surprise, and the kids loved the treats and affirmations!
Q: Thinking back to your own childhood, what is something your parents did that affirmed you or had a lasting impact on you?
My dad was a full-time truck driver and a part-time farmer, so my mom was usually busy canning vegetables or sewing our clothes or cleaning the house. But, no matter what chore she was involved in, she’d always stop right at 10:00 in the morning, on days we weren’t in school, for us to have a “tea party.” We turned on the television, watched an episode of I Love Lucy, and had a snack. It might be a slice of her fresh-made pound cake or a slice of cheese or peanut butter spread on crackers. It wasn’t really what we ate or drank – we almost never had tea – that was reserved for mealtimes – it was usually a glass of juice or maybe a glass of Pepsi. But instead, it was just the intentional gathering to chat some and to laugh collective at a television show. Her actions taught me that, as a parent, there are always chores to be done or some sort of responsibility, but it’s important to set aside time for family fun and traditions!
Q: As writers, we often don’t get to see how our writing influences others. However, sometimes readers do reach out and share with us. What has been the most encouraging feedback you’ve received?
My sister-in-law works for Babies Can’t Wait, an early intervention program in Georgia that offers a variety of coordinated services for babies and toddlers with special needs and their families. She has such a passion for children feeling loved and treasured, and she told me that she always gives my book as a baby shower gift to new mommies. She said she wanted them to get started right away making memories with their kiddos!
Enter the Giveaway
Through February 14, you can enter to win a copy of 365 Ways to Love Your Child, special thanks to Julie herself! I’ll announce the winner (must have US address) later that week. You can enter several ways for more than one entry.
About the Author
Julie Lavender, whose maiden name is “Bland,” jokes that she traded her dull name for a colorful one. Julie is a former homeschooling mom with a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education. David and Julie are parents of four, in-laws of one, and grandparents to a precious toddler.
Julie published 365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories (Revell) last year. She writes for newspapers, magazines, book compilations, online blogs and was a 2014 Guideposts Writing Contest winner.
She co-authored two devotionals and authored a homeschooling devotional, slumber party planning book, and three teacher resource booklets.
About 365 Ways to Love Your Child
Growing up in a financially strapped, South Georgia farming family, Julie Lavender learned to appreciate small yet meaningful affirmations of love when her parents found ways to visibly demonstrate their feelings. Later, when she had her own children, Julie delighted in finding creative ways to express her love for them, as well as for the children whose lives she touched through teaching school and volunteering in the children’s ministry at her church.
In 365 Ways to Love Your Child, Julie encourages moms, dads, and anyone who works with children to show kids every day with simple but meaningful gestures and activities how very much they are loved. Join Julie in expressing tangible acts of love to show your kids they are valued by their parents and, most especially, by God.
Congrats to the Giveaway Winner!
Congrats to Rachel for winning a copy of 365 Ways to Love Your Child! Thank you to everyone who participated.
