Spring into Family Improvements with Compliment Day

You can find serenity in having compliment day with your family. Sometimes, when there is more than one child in a family, sibling rivalry occurs and the children will bicker and argue with each other. Often when that bickering and arguing occurs, it tends to drive a mother off the ledge into insanity. Or perhaps that is just at my house. I am the mother of four children ranging in age from 17 to 5. As much as it shames me to admit it, on occasion, my children bicker and argue as if they do not realize they are supposed to love one another.

photo credit: Soulfull via photopin cc

After one afternoon of breaking up one too many fights, I created compliment day at the Davis house. One day per week everyone in the family is showered with compliments by the other members of the family. We worked out the following schedule:

• Sunday  - Dad's day
• Monday - Little Twin's day
• Tuesday - day off used for emergencies or if someone needs extra
• Wednesday -  Big Twin's day
• Thursday - My Son, my son my golden one's day
• Friday - Teenie Bopper's day
• Saturday - Mom's day

By dividing up the week in this manner, everyone gets a day to be treated to compliments and no one has to wait more than a week to be a recipient of the good stuff. The original plan was for the compliments to be given out spontaneously by everyone in the family. What things evolved to was compliments only being given out when mom says so, at meals and when the recipient of the day asks. The person who is receiving compliments has the right to request compliments whenever desired and whoever is asked does not have the power to refuse.

This system has been working out remarkably well for our family. It is easy to apply and can be followed by any family. Human beings are social creatures who need to be loved, cared for and appreciated for who they are. When a person is the recipient of kind words, true words, genuine compliments, that person cannot help but feel good. I know many people who go days, weeks, months and in some cases years without ever receiving a true and kind compliments from another person. My children are blessed and fortunate because they will grow up knowing that they are loved and worthy of good and kind words.

Think about it for a moment. How would you feel if you knew that one day per week you were guaranteed to receive kindness and praise from those around you? Would this make you feel better? While sitting and receiving the compliments, would you chest rise, your shoulders pull back and your head raise a little?  It is a good application of the Golden Rule. The children learned that if they give good compliments, the others will give them good compliments. At the same time, if they give out stinky compliments, they get some pretty stinky compliments in return. The following are a few of the stinky compliments:

• you eat your dinner every day
• you are smart for a boy
• you have three pretty shirts

Here are a few of the good compliments:

• you are the rainbow
• you are the best  sister
• you are my big brother hero
• you always make me smile
• I knew when I was born and I first met you that you would love me forever

Photo Credit: Janeane Davis,serene Sunday, compliment day

I have come to enjoy my compliment day. As a mom, there are so many times when my children take me for granted and think my contributions to the family are small and not worthy of note. However, on Saturday when it is my compliment day I feel really good. I am often amazed at the quality of compliments I receive. The last one in the good list above came from my Little Twin. I must admit, my little one has GAME, big time.

In conclusion, you can find serenity in having your family members compliment each other. So, the question for you this  serene day is, when was the last time your family members spent time complimenting one another?