Celebrate Your Family
by Bridget Rees

From birth to marriage, with many special moments in between, the memories you create within your family are the ones you’ll treasure most.

Sometimes memories just happen. Your son says his first word; your daughter goes on her first date. It’s also important, though, to intentionally create memories by marking the milestones in your children’s lives. Every few years your children will come upon events that will only happen once. Make these moments special by providing them with memories that will help shape their characters.

Special Delivery

The spirit that comes into a home with the arrival of a new baby is unlike any other. This joy is something each member of the family should be able to remember with fondness. It’s also a good idea to provide your baby with mementos he can have throughout life as a token of the happiness that came with his birth. Here are some ways you can mark this special event in your family.

Plan a special coming-home outfit for your baby. This is the outfit you’ll take some of his first pictures in and you can give him this outfit later as a memento of that first trip to your home. You could also involve siblings in the shopping trip to choose the special clothes before the baby’s birth so that it becomes a family gift to the new sibling.

Give your baby a personalized gift with his name and birth noted. This could be done in a variety of ways and brothers and sisters and grandparents could also be involved. For example, create a baby quilt with the child’s tiny handprints or footprints stamped on a square (or several squares) along with his name and date of birth embroidered in the corner. Or, purchase a mold and make an impression of your baby’s foot or hand. You can turn this mold into a Christmas tree ornament to be remembered every year.

Plant a tree for your new baby. Involve any younger siblings in the process and enjoy the tree for years as you watch both it and your child mature.

Create your baby’s first piece of artwork together as a family. Buy a piece of heavy cardstock and have everyone in your family put the palm of one hand in green paint. Place each family member’s wet palm on the paper in a circle, slightly overlapping at various points so the green handprints resemble the leaves of a tree. Write the name of the person contributing the individual mark in the center of the “leaf” and then paint a brown trunk below the leaves. If you are just starting your family, you can do this with each new child and see how your “tree” changes and grows. Hang the new artwork in your baby’s nursery.

Have everyone help decorate the baby’s new room. Perhaps Grandma can make a quilt for the crib while Grandpa hangs some new shelves for toys. Mom and Dad can paint the walls and the siblings can help choose some of the décor. You could also write the various items you’d like in the nursery on a strip of paper (lamp, mobile, wall decoration, crib toy, wallpaper, paint, etc.), and have everyone in the family draw one of the strips, making that item the gift they will be in charge of choosing for the new baby. (Divide the various items by age, and do more than one drawing so your toddler isn’t necessarily choosing the paint, for example.)

Have each family member write the new baby a letter. Share your feelings about becoming a mother, father, grandparent, older brother or sister (again, perhaps), and what you hope you can share with the new child. Place these letters in the child’s baby book or a scrapbook for later reflection.

The day of the child’s blessing is one to be cherished. As those you love stand in the circle to give your sweet child a name and a blessing they will each literally hold her and support her little body as the blessing is given. This act is a beautiful symbol of the love and support family and close friends can be throughout her life. Create memories about this day that will bring you back to that special moment.

Make the outfit your baby is blessed in a keepsake. This is certainly not a new tradition, but there are many different ways it can be approached. Maybe instead of purchasing the blessing clothes, you could make them yourself or have Grandma make them. If you don’t want to make the entire outfit, just make something to add to the outfit such as a hair bow, a bonnet, or the blanket.

You could also ask your mother if she still has the clothing you were blessed in (if you were born into the Church) and bless your baby in that outfit (something your child can later also pass on to her own children). Give your baby an item on this day that can be included in all the special moments throughout her life: a handkerchief made into a bonnet that can be taken to the temple when she’s an adult, a tiny ring that can be worn on a necklace when she’s older, or baby booties that she can give to her child once she’s a mother herself.

Have your baby’s blessing written down. This way, perhaps at another special milestone like your child’s twelfth birthday, you can present it to her in some special way (have it printed on nice paper, accompanied with your memories of that day as a parent). Also, be sure to write down your feelings about that day in your journal so you can share these reflections with your child when she’s older.

Write a poem, story, or letter about your child’s name. Tell your child how and why her name was chosen and what you hope that name will come to represent in the future.

Eight is Great

Eight-year-olds have so much enthusiasm and energy. It’s exciting for family members to see a child begin to really become his own person, with his own talents, hobbies, and personality traits. The prospect of being baptized and becoming a member of the Church will likely be something your child is very excited about, and you should do what you can to make the event one he will always remember with happiness.

Give your child a special family birthday party. If you want to throw a party with friends, that’s fine too, but be sure you have some quality family time for this special birthday. Make an “8” cake by placing two circle cakes on the same surface, connecting at one point (to make the number eight). Then, after you sing happy birthday, have family members tell a story from their baptism day. If someone in your family is a convert to the Church, this could also be a great opportunity to tell the new eight-year-old the story of his or her conversion. You could also have family members write the child a letter including their testimonies, which you can bind into a book for the child.

Spend some time practicing the baptism with your child. Explaining to your child what will be occurring at the baptism and then practicing the act itself (minus the water) could have almost as much memory-making potential as the baptism itself.

Give your child her first set of scriptures. This is a relatively common tradition for many families—sometimes the parents give the gift or sometimes it comes from grandparents—but don’t end the tradition at just giving scriptures. Write your testimony in the front of the book along with your feelings about the child’s baptism. Mark your favorite scripture with a note in the margin reading “Grandpa’s favorite scripture” (for example) or make note of an entire story or chapter by writing in the margin “The story of Ammon and King Lamoni is Dad’s favorite Book of Mormon story” (for example). Set aside a time for family scripture study with these new scriptures sometime before the baptism, and bear your testimony of the scriptures at that time.

A journal is another perfect gift for an eighth birthday. Explain to your child why keeping a journal is both fun and important, and tell her that her baptism day can be the first entry. Tell her to write of her feelings about that day, what it means to her to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and what the Savior means to her. Take plenty of pictures during the day and give them to her to include with that first entry.

Growing Up and Turning Twelve

Turning twelve can be both an exciting and scary time for kids. As they move from Primary to the Young Men or Women’s programs, their bodies may be changing, their social situations begin to change, and often their priorities can shift in certain areas as they approach their teenage years. Help your child start out the road to adulthood on the right foot by marking this time with special memories to strengthen her foundation.

One of the first things your daughter will be introduced to in the Young Women’s program is Personal Progress. Once she receives her handbook, sit down with her to go through it and brainstorm some of the things she’d like to do. Decide on one or two projects you can do together—perhaps a craft, improving a skill like gospel study, or learning an entirely new skill.

Buy a necklace chain for your daughter. Present it to her on her birthday and tell her it is for the charms she will receive as she completes her goals in the Beehive, Mia Maid, and Laurel programs. Tell her to keep it in a safe place until she receives that first charm. Help her feel excited about beginning the Personal Progress program and wearing the necklace as a symbol of what she represents.

Plan a special father and son outing. Think of something the two of you really enjoy doing and call it your “Turning Twelve Outing,” but be sure to choose an activity that will allow you time to talk. Some activities could include fishing, golfing, working on a car together, camping or hiking, or taking a mini road trip. Talk to your son about what the priesthood has meant to you in your life, and tell him that you are proud of the choices he has made that make him worthy to be ordained a deacon.

Plan a trip to Salt Lake City to see general conference in the conference center. Speak with your bishop about how to get tickets for conference (plan this well in advance), and then make your travel plans. For some families, a trip like this may not be possible, but if it is something you’ve considered doing, a special occasion like a twelfth birthday is a great reason to coordinate the trip. If it’s a son who’s turning twelve, be sure to attend the priesthood session of conference.

Plan a trip with your son or daughter to a temple. Visit the temple’s visitor center and grounds, and take pictures of your child in front of the temple. It would be particularly special for your child to get a temple recommend for baptisms for the dead so you can do this together as a family. Before you go home, let your child choose a restaurant for dinner, and discuss your thoughts on the day at that time.

A New Beginning: Graduation and Moving Out

When your daughter walks across the stage and accepts her diploma, chances are you’ll be feeling more butterflies in your stomach than she is. For her, it’s a time of relief, hope, and anticipation. For you, it might be a time of doubt and worry. Don’t let your nervousness cloud what will be one of the biggest days of her life. Let her know you have confidence in her, and help her make the transition to greater independence.


Give a graduation gift that will demonstrate you support her independence. You could give her jumper cables for if she’s ever stranded, a long-distance calling card for calling home, a credit card with a modest limit in case of emergencies, a cookbook with simple recipes for cooking for just one or two, an inspirational book to encourage her to set goals, or a day planner or calendar for organization.

Share your journals from college and your mission with him. Take some time to tell him about your experiences in college and on your mission. Show him pictures and talk about your experiences and friends. Ask him what he’s interested in studying and what he wants to be “when he grows up.” Ask him how he feels about serving a mission and tell him why you feel it’s important. If you didn’t go on a mission or to college, tell him what you were doing at that time and how your experiences helped shape your life.

Take a shopping trip to your local discount store or thrift shop. Give your child a budget and shop together for some of the items she will need in her new apartment or dorm room such as utensils, cookware, a desk or table, a lamp, etc. Make it fun and challenge yourselves to see potential in items that may not initially look too great. For example, mix and match colors for a creative alternative to one design for your dinnerware, or buy that scuffed-up table at the back of the store, and then take it home to be sanded and given a coat of bright red paint to match the retro throw pillows you bought for the couch.

Wedding Bells

When addressing the topic of milestones, nothing will be quite as monumental in your child’s life as his wedding day. He’ll always remember this event, as it is the first step that will lead him to begin marking milestones in his own family. Remember to keep in mind the sacredness of this event when marking it in your family.


Often the couple will get together with both sets of parents for dinner sometime before the wedding. Take advantage of this time to hold a joint family home evening. Ask one parent to give a lesson on the importance of family in the gospel and then do something fun together (play a board game, watch old home movies, etc.) that will allow you all to get to know each other better.

Make sure that in addition to “something new” your daughter also has “something old” or “something borrowed” to wear on her wedding day. Bring out any old photos you have of your parents or grandparents (along with wedding photos of Mom and Dad) and talk with her about your family history and what you know about each relative. Then, present her with something she can wear on her wedding day from one of them—maybe the pearl earrings you wore on your wedding day, or a brooch from grandma that she could attach to the ribbon on her bouquet.

Incorporate family traditions into the wedding reception. Make a traditional family food for the dinner: maybe it’s your great grandma’s Swedish meatballs, or maybe it’s a cake made of Krispy Kreme doughnuts to remind you and your daughter of those late night doughnut runs together. Whether it’s with the decorations, entertainment, food, or clothing, think of a few fun suggestions your son or daughter could incorporate into the reception that will make the night even more memorable.

When thinking of a wedding gift, consider something that will remind them of their covenants, strengthen their relationship, or help them create good habits. For example, consider a framed copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World with the couples’ picture next to it, a sculpture or framed picture of the temple in which they were married, a hymnbook and family home evening lesson manual, a book about strengthening marital relationships, part of their food storage supply (or at least a good start to a stocked pantry), or a subscription to the Ensign.

Passing it Along

Ask any new grandparent “where the time went” and they probably won’t have a very clear answer for you. The process of watching your child from birth to marriage is one that most parents will say flew by in the blink of an eye. That’s why it is so important to make lasting memories of the most important occasions.

Not only that, marking these special events provides a foundation for children. They’ll remember how much love and attention they were given at each milestone, and they’ll want to give their own children a similar experience. Consequently, by marking these moments in a special manner now, you’ll really be marking them also for future generations for years and years to come.

LDS Living Magazine