This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #AddSpirit2Breakfast http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
Let’s face it. As a parent, we are often stretched very thin on time and find ourselves juggling endless tasks at once. As a result, more times than we’d like to admit, we find ourselves saying “no“. “No, we don’t have time for that.” “No, not today, maybe another day.” “No, you can’t eat that.” “No, you need to do this instead.” “No, we aren’t having screen time.” The list of “NOs” goes on and on. Yet, with so many “NOs”, what would happen if instead we said “YES“? I decided to find out…
Why I Decided to Say “Yes”
The past couple of months, I have found my young daughters seeking more and more independence. What started as a request to pick their own outfits, has expanded into specific demands for meals.
While I’d love to say that I’m the type of mythical mom who ALWAYS accepts their desire for autonomy, I’d be lying to say I was. Sure, there are definitely days when I embrace their individuality (like when we aren’t rushed for time or they don’t have to go to a school event or appointment), but there are also a large number of days when I find myself saying “no“.
After hearing about Netflix’s “Spirit Riding Free” show, I not only instantly thought just how much my daughters would love it, but I also thought how fun it would be to surprise them with a day dedicated to not only accepting but embracing their personal spirit. And so was born our Spirit Day!
Kicking Off Spirit Day
On a very special day that I will truly never forget (as cliche as that may sound, it really is true), I decided to wake up my daughters and share that today would be different. For today was a SPIRIT DAY!
Spirited Outfits
The day kicked off by informing my daughters that they could pick out anything (and I mean ANYTHING) they wanted to wear. Clashing clothes… yes. Every piece of jewelry you can find… absolutely. A purse… but of course. A witch’s Halloween hat… why not?! My little ladies couldn’t have had more fun not only picking out what they wanted to wear, but watching as I embraced each and every selection.
Spirited Waffle Bar
Next came time for breakfast. Aside from making a few requests, children are often limited to what decisions they get to make regarding their meals. With that in mind, I decided to allow them to demonstrate full individuality by adding a DIY waffle bar to our Spirit Day.
In full transparency, this was the MOST fun part of our spirit day, hands down. The girls were in awe when they saw the selections. A quick run to Walmart and our waffle bar was complete. Starting with an option of either Eggo chocolate chip or Eggo blueberry waffles which are warm, fluffy, DELICIOUS, and toast up golden crisp in just minutes… the possibilities were endless after that. From pink frosting, to sprinkles, miniature marshmallows, raspberries, blueberries, red hots, and syrup… the toppings were a HUGE hit.
Only adding to the fun, I made sure to have fat free Reddi-Wip available for the icing on the cake… or should I say the whipped cream on the waffle ;). I chose Reddi-Wip because of its use of best dairy cream in original flavors… something I knew my daughters would love! (Don’t eat dairy? Reddi-Wip also has high-quality coconut cream in non-dairy varieties.)
Laughing our way through breakfast, our Spirit Day was off to the very best start.
Spirited Screen Time
After a little play time, free choice of course for whatever activities they desired, it was time for some spirited screen time. Our spirit day got even more spirited thanks to “Spirit Riding Free” on Netflix. The girls adored this adorable cartoon that takes place in a small town in Texas during the 19th century where a young girl named, Lucky, works to free a horse named, Spirit. The dynamic duo then go on to embark in everyday adventures together demonstrating friendship, loyalty, and positive girl empowerment.
Expanding upon this spirited show, we downloaded at no cost “Spirit Riding Free” coloring pages and activities from here.
A Spirit Day to Remember
As the spirit day went on, so did the fun. A day heavily flowered in “YESs” and embraced individuality/spirit, ended up being a day my little ladies and I will never forget. For them, the day will be remembered as one where their individuality was celebrated. For me, the day will be remembered as a fun bonding experience with my daughters where I was encouraged to slow down, enjoy the mindset of a child, and really learn exactly what makes my daughters the unique and beautiful girls that they are.
Have you thrown a Spirit Day before? I’d love to hear what was a huge hit in your household!
