Have you ever wished you had a treasure trove of great ideasfor those days when motherhood feels draining and mundane?
Ever longed forjust one tried and true tipthat has actually been used successfully by REAL MOMS with REAL KIDS?
Me, too!
That’s why I’ve created Tuesday’s Tips– a weekly post designed to reduce frustration and multiply inspiration in the wacky and wearisome trenches of
motherhood.
Of course, a good idea is meant to be shared.So don’t keep those jewels for yourself! If you discover something that makes motherhood a little easier, a little more exciting, or a bit more meaningful, please let me know. (Just leave a comment after this post or email me at rbruxvoort@iowatelecom.net). I’d love to feature your idea on an upcoming Tuesday.
How to Celebrate May Day
All Month Long
My little ones had so much fun delivering May Day baskets today that at bedtime, they both asked if we could “do it again tomorrow.”
I explained that tomorrow would no longer be May Day.
Josh replied, “I thought every day this month was May Day.”Not bad for a kid who is just beginning to figure out what a month even is.
I talked myself into a tangle as I tried to explain that May Day is a holiday we celebrate on the first day of May, but every other day in the month is just a plain old May day.
In the end, Joshua just replied, “Well, I don’t see why we can’t just keep delivering baskets on plain old May days, too.“
Since I had no rebuttal for such a logical response, I said, “I suppose we could…”
So, when all the kids were finally tucked into bed, I brainstormed a few ideas for another round of secret giving. I think I’ll call theseBLESSING BASKETS.
Tomorrow, I’ll invite my kids to brainstorm some more basket possibilities with me. Then, before the month is over I hope to choose one of our favorite ideas and deliver a bit more May joy.
Who knows? We may begin a brand new family tradition that lasts long past May 1.
Here are a few of my ideas for blessing baskets...
1. A new baby basket for the crisis pregnancy center. This basket could be filled with diapers, baby food, wipes, small toys, and anything else a new mom might need.
2. A birthday party in a basket for the local food pantry. This basket could contain everything someone might need to celebrate a child’s birthday- a cake mix, frosting, drink mix, and even some noise makers and balloons.
3. A story-time in a basket for a child who is sick or in the hospital or for a mother of young children who may just need a fresh dose of creativity. This basket could contain a favorite story book, a snack that ties into the theme of the book (for example- if the book is about a bear, I’d pack teddy grahams), and a simple activity to go with the story (a coloring
page and crayons or a small toy or stuffed animal).
4. A basket of bras. Yes, you heard that right! Free the Girls is an amazing organization that is battling the horrors of sex-traficking. Check out how they are using second-hand bras to give women a first-hand taste of dignity and freedom. This is a basket that calls for a girl party, I think!
5. A basket of school supplies. As we wrap up another school year and toss our old notebooks and crayons, there are children in our own communities who don’t have any school supplies at all. Why not put together a basket or backpack of school necessitites and ask your principal to pass it on to a child in need next August. Or, love on a child stuck in poverty by sending school supplies beyond your town walls with the help of World Vision.
6. A boredom buster basket. Gather up some crayons and coloring books, small toys and games and deliver an activity basket to your local hospital. Leave the basket in a family waiting area where children might have to linger long while visiting grandparents or other relatives in the hospital. Or, leave the basket in a children’s ward and ask that the gift be passed on to a sick child who is in the hospital.
7. A share-a-smile basket. Fill a basket with some of your children’s best artwork, a pack of playing cards, a book of crossword puzzles, some homemade cookies, and a small Bible. Then take the basket to a local nursing home and pass it on with a smile. Your kindness may be someone else’s much-wished-for antidote to loneliness.
Got any other blessing basket ideas for a plain-old May day? Please share! I’d love to hear them!
Oh, I love basket gifts and I love these ideas! One thing I have done before was a card/tag making bucket/basket. It was full of scrapbooking accessories, precut tags and cards, and everything needed for on the go scrapping.
Great ideas for spreading love! We have a little ministry to the inmates of our local jail. Every Friday, they are preached the Word of God and given a snack. An additional basket of toiletries would be soooo appreciated! Blessings! Patsy from HeARTworks
Love the ladies room basket! My girls would get a kick out of doing that— not long ago when we were in the mall, they asked why every bathroom for girls had a couch! And then asked why our bathroom at home doesn’t. 🙂
Great ideas here! I think I’ll give the basket of school supplies a try. there are a lot of kids out there who can do so much with crayons, notebooks, and other things we sometimes take for granted.
Thanks for sharing and I’m following you now. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hope you can visit again.
I absolutely love your ideas here.. what fantastic way to share kindness with the world!!! My favorite is your birthday basket for the food pantry. We will do that! One basket idea i like to do is a ladies room basket— leave a basket of mini lotions and small girly things in a church (or any) restroom. Thanks for your ideas!
6. A boredom buster basket. Gather up some crayons and coloring books, small toys and games and deliver an activity basket to your local hospital. Leave the basket in a family waiting area where children might have to linger long while visiting grandparents or other relatives in the hospital. Or, leave the basket in a children’s ward and ask that the gift be passed on to a sick child who is in the hospital.
Absolutely brilliant! I think we will be dropping off some may day baskets! 😉
I’m not a scrapbooker (wish I were) but I have a few girls that would LOVE to receive a scraping bucket!
Oh, I love basket gifts and I love these ideas! One thing I have done before was a card/tag making bucket/basket. It was full of scrapbooking accessories, precut tags and cards, and everything needed for on the go scrapping.
Great ideas for spreading love! We have a little ministry to the inmates of our local jail. Every Friday, they are preached the Word of God and given a snack. An additional basket of toiletries would be soooo appreciated! Blessings! Patsy from
HeARTworks
Love the ladies room basket! My girls would get a kick out of doing that— not long ago when we were in the mall, they asked why every bathroom for girls had a couch! And then asked why our bathroom at home doesn’t. 🙂
Great ideas here! I think I’ll give the basket of school supplies a try. there are a lot of kids out there who can do so much with crayons, notebooks, and other things we sometimes take for granted.
Thanks for sharing and I’m following you now. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hope you can visit again.
I absolutely love your ideas here.. what fantastic way to share kindness with the world!!! My favorite is your birthday basket for the food pantry. We will do that! One basket idea i like to do is a ladies room basket— leave a basket of mini lotions and small girly things in a church (or any) restroom. Thanks for your ideas!