August 11th is National Son and Daughter Day #SonsAndDaughtersDay and it also falls on Suday which in our Home is #FamilyDay as well. I don’t know what you and your children plan on doing today to celebrate #SonsAndDaughtersDay.
I can tell you where going to clean our house today then have dinner as a family. Before you ask what were having for dinner I have no, clue but your welcome to join us and were open to suggestions for what to serve for dinner this evening.
Did you know Son and Daughter Day is celebrated annually on August 11th? This love-centric family holiday which we’re sure has gained the approval of both Gloria Steinem and Smokey Robinson, as you’ll see reminds us to take a step back from the whirlwind of paying the bills, surviving the maelstrom of current events, and meeting what seem to be thousands of daily obligations, and spend time with our sons and daughters.
National Son and Daughter Day is a time to spoil the kids a little. Be a grandparent ahead of time for a day, and remind the kids that through all the descents of mayhem and joy, and however they’ve turned out so far, they’re the greatest loves of your life.
The population at large may already be familiar with similar holidays including Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, and Father-Daughter Day, the former holiday was instituted in part by the Ms. Foundation for Women and its founder, journalist Gloria Steinem, and the latter the result of an effort on musician Smokey Robinson’s part to stay close to his six daughters no matter what.
Son and Daughter Day traces its origins a little farther back in time than either of these if popular wisdom is to be trusted. The Holiday goes all the way back to 1930s Missouri, where a gentleman of the town of St. Joseph took up a young boy’s cause when the boy complained that his mom and dad each had a “Day,” so why shouldn’t he? The man was convinced and gradually the idea caught on, its popularity ebbing and flowing over the years, until the 1970s.
That brought another big jump: a Florida House member allegedly put in a request to the U.S. Congress to officially recognize National Son and Daughter Day. The Representative, Claude Pepper even had in mind to specially recognize George Paul, a hero of Pepper’s from the old Texas rodeo circuit, by attaching Paul’s name to the holiday, should it become official. Or is that just a bunch of “bull”? Our researchers are unable to pinpoint the exact Congressional record containing the request.
The next reference of National Son and Daughter Day is in the Nanaimo Daily News. The Canadian publication, found in the British Columbia region, referenced National Son and Daughter Day in 1988. Whatever the origins are, August 11th is a day for spending quality time with your children. Do something that you all enjoy doing as a family and treasure these moments. Children grow up so fast one day they may not have time for us.
Traditions of National Son and Daughter Day
National Son and Daughter Day is, of course, a day dedicated to spending time with our sons and daughters. It’s tradition to do something as a family that you all enjoy doing. This could be going out for dinner, going to the movies, or going for a hike, it all depends on what your family likes to do. Whatever activity you choose, it’s a chance to cherish the time with your family and collect a few more memories. Family comes first, especially on National Son and Daughter Day.
Son and Daughter Day Activities
- Depending on your particular workload, you might feel like you work more than you get to spend time with your family. To celebrate National Son and Daughter Day, try using up some of that paid time off or even take a sick day so you can do something fun with the kids because National Son and Daughter Day is a day for quality time.
- Make a special treat and no the treat doesn’t have to be a sugary snack or a messy project, either. You know what your children love to eat and chances are there’s even a favorite food that you can make together at home. Some fun and relatively healthy make-at-home snacks include Tacos, Peanut Butter Crackers or Veggies and Ranch dip. You could even go all-out with your kids and teach them to make a favorite dinner or treat with less cleanup. Or you could let the kids pick a restaurant for a special night out.
- Whether your children are youngsters at home or adults on their own, Son and Daughter Day is a great reminder to make time in your life to stay connected. Take your children out to a movie, meet up for a stroll through the park or sit down around the dinner table and really listen to what they have to say. Sometimes the best way to say “I love you” is by being available and letting the kids take the lead. Whatever your children like to do, you can rock National Son and Daughter Day by showing up with your natural excitement for their successes.
FACTS ABOUT PERCEPTIONS OF DAUGHTERS
- In overpopulated Countries like India and China they have had a culture of bias against having baby girls, who are seen to be less able to provide for the family as they grow into the workforce.
- The suffragist-vs-anti-suffragist “War of the Roses” in Tennessee, the final battlefield State to grant women the right to vote, happened only 100 years ago, in 1920.
- Increasingly many fathers fiercely support their daughters which you can hear in songs like Tim McGraw’s “My Little Girl” to American Greetings’ new line of father-and-daughter-related ecards, pop culture is acknowledging the strengthening of bonds between dads and their girls.
- Take time today to look at the smashing success of the “Little Women” remake, the all-female-lead retooling of the “Ghostbusters” film, and the general watchfulness of mass media awards societies to make sure demographics are balanced, and you’ll see a steady increase towards true appreciation.
- The movement to show youngsters what work was like, why it was necessary, and its connection with families, began in the early 90s with Take Your Daughters To Work Day, only adding sons in 2003.
Why We Love Son and Daughter Day
- Humans are social creatures and we’re all genetically programmed to bond with others. Children, from their first breaths to their first steps and words, form deep bonds with parents and caretakers, just like we connect with our children from the moment they’re born. For all the difficulties children may put us through, we can’t help loving our kids which is a Science!
- There’s Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and even Grandparent’s Day. Isn’t it only fair that we have a Son and Daughter Day, too? After your kids go above and beyond on a Mother’s Day gift that brought you to tears. Or a Father’s Day gift that wasn’t just another power tie. Children deserve a bit of socially-sanctioned celebration themselves. Beyond the lesson this teaches about fairness and equality, kids can start to see how the yearly cycles of family holidays nurture relationships by giving and receiving appreciation in equal measure.
- National Son and Daughter Day is unique and special and there are lots of opportunities to dote on your kids, but National Son and Daughter Day is one-of-a-kind. An individual holiday like a child’s birthday is only special for one child and communal holidays like Christmas or Summer vacation don’t really focus on anybody in particular. But National Son and Daughter Day is not just a day for gifts and toys but a time to let your children know through words and deeds how much you really love them.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
