The Importance of Rituals

This beautiful bday ritual belongs to my dear lifelong friend and amazing Daddy, Jason Buchman

When you think back on your childhood, what memories typically stand out?

A special birthday dinner where your mom made your favorite dish?

Mine was my mom’s world famous chicken and eggplant parm.

My mom and dad had Italian neighbors when they were newlyweds and the two women taught each other how to make their favorite cultural delicacies.

I think my mom taught the Italian mama how to make chicken and matzoh ball soup.

Even the story behind my mom’s amazing Italian dishes was a part of the bday ritual.

Special rituals can add up to a lifetime of rich memories.

It might be a religious holiday tradition A nightly dinner ritual where everyone has their “assigned” seats A special Christmas cookie you bake with your kids or even better, have grandma bake with your kids:)A weekly or monthly family meeting followed by a fun family activity. A birthday tradition involving a special meal out or in A conversational question around the dinner table where everyone shares a fun fact about their day.

You can’t do it all.

Choose a few special rituals that feel fun for YOU.

Your kids will feel your enthusiasm, so do something that you enjoy too.

Rituals help tie the days, months and years together that without special rituals can often seem rather ordinary and uneventful in real time.

I promise that the extraordinary happens during the ordinary moments.

Ritualistic memories simply help you realize how beautiful your life has been raising your kids when you reflect back years from now.

Because years from now will be here in about a minute.