Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Meet The Palin's





Sometimes I fear that we are raising two Republicans.

Our kids are so conservative, they make Sarah Palin look like the Tooth Fairy. They like everything to be just the way it's always been, or was last Monday, or the first time they ever did it. If we have pancakes for breakfast one weekend, they turn into Sunday Pancakes in a second. If I need to throw out something old and broken (and I'm not talking beloved teddybears here), it immediately transforms into Beloved And Important Artefact. Not big on change, these two.

And I like traditions. I like rituals. So why I sometimes have a hard time enjoying that my children are the same is a whole other post. Let's just say that as of today I've decided to embrace their need for rituals and traditions and just roll with it. Insecure no more! I will be Conservative and proud. (I most certainly won't, but you get the picture.)

So our Friday Night Popcorn will stay Friday Night Popcorn and I will not try to turn them into Friday Night Body Paint. And on Thursday we will make waffles and celebrate Marie Bebådelsedag (the Annunciation in English, I believe), just like we did last year and the year before that.

But how about you? Do you have things in your family that you just do, always have and always will? Traditions you picked up from your parents, rituals that were important to you as a child, or new ones that you've created because you felt a need or wanted to celebrate something in a new way? Or are you reluctant traditionalist?

Thanks for reading.

(Photos above: Jesper surprised us with hidden candy for Valentine's Day, long strings attached to every piece, in criss cross all over the house. A new tradition I'd be very happy to embrace,)

5 comments:

Miranda Robertson said...

Kids are so funny. My daughter insists on having her curtains tied up every morning before doing anything else. She also walks on straight lines, like cracks on the sidewalk, and must have the same sippy cup in order to sleep.

I, on the other hand, appreciate a bit of spontaneity. Schedules sort of freak me out, even though I now have kids and there are just certain things you have to stick to.

Your rituals sound like a lot of fun though. Popcorn on Friday, and pancakes on Sunday...nothing wrong with that!

Anna said...

i love traditions, even the smallest ones. like late night icecream runs during finals week with my best friend! : )

i love this post, you are hilarious. and you have the cutest babies!

xo-

RW said...

we love customs and traditions.
we celebrate the birth of mary too. and from my time in sweden I still call it Bebådelsedag - but I didn't know about the waffle tradition... hmm - maybe I will make waffles.

holy week and pascha are full of customs for us.
birthdays too.

evenings in the summertime.

Pamela said...

i am a fan of traditions...there something comforting about them, but i also like to switch things up every now and then for fun.

my favorite tradition right now in my life is good old fashioned oatmeal for breakfast. i. love. it. i'm pretty boring right now, aren't i?!

Anonymous said...

It´s great, I love traditions, especially creating new ones that is "ours".
One important tradition I brought with me from my family is celebrating "Namnsdag" - not many people do that but we always have, perhaps ´cause me and my brothers have extraordinary names for our time (not anymore though when every other 5 year old has the same name as us...). We got one gift and got to decide what to have for dinner and there was celebrating! H