Caring & Crafty

photo: hellolapomme cc

Making homemade valentines for parents, teachers and other dear ones is a tried-and-true tradition for kids everywhere, but what about those who don't have a closetful of craft supplies on hand, or even the basics like colored paper and glue? GenerationOn, dedicated to igniting the power of kids to make a make their mark on the world, has a fun, relatively simple answer: Kids with the supplies on hand can make valentine card kits for their peers in need, then deliver on or before Feb. 14 (with prior approval first, of course) to a local high-needs school, family shelter, or other youth-/family-serving organization. It's a fun project for a few friends (or a class, Scout troop, etc.) to tackle together, as the kits can be made "assembly line" style. Mom or dad, just add snacks -- and a ride to the recipient site. Then enjoy the feeling of having shared a little crafty love this Valentine's Day.

Heartbreak Hotel

(photo: Sontra via photopin cc)

While this Valentine's Day will be heart-filled & happy for many teens, it's a sad fact of life that for some, the timing will be awful. February is indeed the cruelest month for a romantic breakup. But just like being a good friend is the top way kids can help kids in day to day life, being a caring, respectful boyfriend or girlfriend can turn any teen into an everyday hero -- especially when it's time to end a relationship. Here's some good advice for breakups, culled from kidshealth.org:

Do:

• Be honest about why you're breaking up with your guy or girl, but not brutally so. Use tact.
• Think through all the ways the person might react, and try to prepare yourself. 
• Break up in person! Would you want someone to break up with you via Facebook or text?

Don't:

• Rush the conversation. Take some time to consider your reasons and how you'll handle this.
• Tell others beforehand that you're planning to break up with your GF or BF. They might blab.
• Badmouth or gossip about your ex after you've broken up. Golden Rule, karma, whatever you call it -- it's just not smart.

Teens who find themselves guiding a friend through splitsville may want to show him or her this online "mending a broken heart" quiz from WebMD. Answering it together is a fun distraction, and you'll both learn something in the process.

Divine Valentine



heart art by my niece :)



Can you believe it? We're little more than a month away from the Day of Love. And what better day for kids to show compassion for their less fortunate peers?

As always, Save the Children valentines are a class act, with art by illustrators Mo Willems, Kevin Henkes, Ian Falconer, Leuyen Pham, and (my personal fave of this year's designs) Brian Selznick. When they choose these valentines, kids help low-income U.S. peers break the cycle of poverty through Save the Children's work in education, health & resilience. Each box of 30 limited-edition cards sells for $25, which is tax deductible minus the $6 fair-market value of the set.

Also benefitting Save the Children are KKG personalized valentine stickers for candy, including boy valentine stickers with UFO, rocket & sports themes; girl valentine stickers with ladybugs, rainbows & flowers; and gender-neutral valentine stickers with little red guitars. Because love (of course) rocks.

Moore is More

Gotta love Julianne Moore. Not only did she co-lead the year's most enjoyable (imho) film (The Kids Are All Right), but she founded & continues to support a Valentine card contest for Save the Children that helps kid artists help their low-income peers in Appalachia. Children from across the U.S. drew valentines this year and voted on their favorites. A donation of $25 buys a box of 24 cards featuring 5 winning designs. All proceeds go to Save the Children. Interested? Order cards by Feb. 8 for Valentine's Day delivery!