Cuddle Up! Awesome Tips for a Lifetime of Quality Bonding + Giveaway
Cuddle time holds such special memories that last forever but too quickly children seem to grow out of it. We’ve talked about the great benefits of hugging, now seems like a great time to discuss having that bond far beyond when children are small.
Some of my friends are blessed to have children who are nearly teenagers that will still, on occasion, curl up with Mommy. Of course, it’s different now, but it’s still there.
Create Special Routines
Having specials routines will not only create special memories, it will also cement a special bond that will last a lifetime. There is a reason that strong families always have family traditions.
- Daily reading routines before naps and bedtime or perhaps whenever the mood strikes them. One day, that will be their favorite time of the day, plus it helps with their vocabulary and language understanding!
- Family Movie nights with a special treat reserved specially for those nights. (Check out that link for some fantastic family films!)
- Cook together. Cooking with kids can be a handful, but it also creates lasting memories and teaches lifelong lessons.
- Family Game Nights will not only bring a lot of laughter, but will indeed become a family past time that everyone remembers. We talk a lot of game nights around here, you may have seen some of our posts, all with fantastic games your family will love!
- Lastly, and most importantly, pray together. From infancy on, pray with your children. Nothing else can take the place of God in a family. He is our foundation and, hopefully, yours as well.
The Cuddle Book
I chose to include this book in this post because it is absolutely precious. It is a hardback book with a rather soft cover, perfect for toddlers. Inside the cover, is a place for the grownup to write answers about cuddling, I can definitely see that becoming an absolute favorite to have written down in the years as they grow up! It would also be a perfect book to read during those daily reading routines, all snuggled and cuddled up!
Isn’t it nice to curl up and cuddle
and melt down inside like a big, muddy puddle,
and feel the thumping oompah beat
of someone else’s heart and heat?
Everyone knows cuddling can reduce stress levels and release endorphins, but kids know that, most importantly, cuddling is FUN! With adorable, hand-painted illustrations and Dr. Seuss-like rhymes and humor, The Cuddle Book is sure to be a bedtime favorite. So snuggle up with this padded board book and let the cuddling commence!
The Cuddle Book was written by Mifflin Low and illustrated by Delia Ciccarelli. It is so sweetly written and drawn and makes an absolutely perfect baby and toddler gift!
It is written for ages 0-3 but I can see it becoming special for years long after those ages, especially with the answers you write in the front!
Absolutely perfect for building memories and cuddling up!
We usually start with breakfast together and sholat or praying together. It feels great when you can keep that special bonding forever. Cheers from #OMHGWW
I like to walk at the park and just enjoy that time a lot. I think just getting out in nature is so nice.
We always go to the local walk of lights and take a picture with Santa!
We like to travel all over. My kids always remember the new places we go.
This is a sweet article with great tips for family bonding. Thank you for sharing and cohosting at #omhgww.
Aww thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
We let the birthday kiddo pick out wherever they want to eat from/at!
We read and played games together, went bike riding and spent time at our neighborhood park and pool.
I love that! I have always wanted a family that did stuff like that as a normal routine!
To create special memories, we work very hard to make sure the entire family gets to enjoy events as much as possible with DH working nights.
We honestly don’t really have any traditions in my family. To create special memories together we try to spend plenty of time together and like to try new things that we haven’t had or done before.
I think that alone will be the most valuable time! Now and when you look back!
We keep journals and scrapbooks! I try to cherish every single memory but it is hard to capture every cute moment or precious second!
I love scrapbooks and journals! It is impossible to catch every moment, but I bet the journalling makes it a little easier!
One of our family traditions is having Birthday feast! Instead of having parties, we go out to eat as a family and order anything you want off the menu! 🙂
I love that! When Monkey lived at home, we would do that for our birthdays. She still got her party if she wanted one but we’d go out and celebrate as a family.
When my girls were little, we would go camping most of the summer. We traveled to surrounding states and also stayed within our own state, Massachusetts. We visited local libraries, parks, museums and fairs. Lots of fun and memories!
I bet those were absolutely awesome trips and even better memories! I use to take off with Monkey for girls days, just like my Mom did with me when I was younger. Wonderful memories that I cherish for sure!
My kids favorite tradition is going to my parents’ house for family dinner ever Sunday. It is so special to be able to have family close.
That is wonderful! I remember staying with my Grandparents and Great Grandparents a lot as a child. I feel like kids these days are too often missing that.
We read together, played games together, traveled together, and went to parks together.
All great times I bet!
We bake cookies often and also go on family road trips!
How fun! I loved baking with my daughter when she was a teenager and baking with my Mom and friends when I was growing up!
We have a giant home library and we read together daily.
That is absolutely awesome! I’m totally jealous!
my grandmother used to have these wonderful dinners at her house and invited all the relatives they were wonderful and it was such a good time
That sounds so great, we once had those in our family but the tradition fell off long ago. I miss those times and wish we had babies we could have that with.
We have dinner together and share the day.
Sounds like a great family to be in! I love that you still do this!
We like to go on a family vacation up north every summer. It’s nice to get out of the city and enjoy nature.
Family vacations can be fantastic times! I think my favorite parts were always the drive to the destination, but I love road trips!
I try to make sure we make time for lots of fun family activities. We love going camping together!
I love camping with my bestie and her kids! Unfortunately, life and covid have gotten in the way the last few years.
I always watched It’s a Wonderful Life every year for Christmas.
Great movie! We love A Christmas Story but haven’t watched it the last couple of years. I love the claymation Rudolph movie!