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Connection Corner

3 ways to show you care this Valentine’s Day

an elderly man and a young girl holding a cutout heart around their face

These days we appreciate Valentine’s Day parties at school a bit more than we did in the past after realizing how much young children missed swapping cards with their friends and teachers when some couldn’t gather together during the pandemic. What is it about Valentine’s Day that kids love so much? My kids loved creating a fancy box, finding just the right trinket to attach to their cards, and yes, of course, there is the candy. But, also, I think they like getting to have a reason to show their friends and teachers they care.

This year, more than ever, letting friends, family, and community know they are cared about can mean a lot. Here are three easy ways you can show others you care:

Call a friend or neighbor you haven’t talked to in awhile and catch up.

Tell them why they are important to you, ask them about how they are doing, and really listen when they answer.

Bake cookies and bring them to a local fire or police station.

It is easy to forget that many people are working to serve you every day, even on holidays. Remembering them on these special days can really help them feel appreciated

Paint rocks, write notes, or make chalk drawings with encouraging words or notes.

Leave them around your community in hidden spots or take them to your favorite businesses or services.

These are just a few ways to show others you care, there are so many more. This Valentine’s day, even if you don’t do one of these, try to find a way to connect with others in your community and family.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Judy Schmidt provides leadership to 4-H metro programming in Peoria County. Schmidt joined Extension in 2001, working as a Youth Development Educator at the East Peoria Center and joined the Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell unit in 2011. Her work focuses on 4-H youth development programming in the local metropolitan area, specifically leading positive youth development initiatives for after-school programs, community groups, 4-H clubs and other youth-serving organizations. Her areas of expertise include positive youth development principles, youth leadership, and work with teens as teachers.

Schmidt attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for her bachelor's degree in psychology and also for her master's degrees in Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a certified facilitator of the Matrixx System/Real Colors program by the National Curriculum and Training Institute.

ABOUT THE BLOG

Connection Corner:  is a blog that provides timely information, activities, and resources to help you stay connected to loved ones, the world around you, and yourself.