Valentine's Day: It's all about matters of the heart
Valentine's Day is all about romance: chocolates, wine and soft music. Even for parents.
In fact, what I learned from my mom, a mother of five children, is that the most important relationship in a family is the one between the adults - the couple, the parents of the household.
Their strength enables family stability, mom says. If they're happy as a couple, the family is happy, the kids are secure and the environment is nurturing for everyone.
Mom is also very pragmatic. I got that gene from her. So I'd like to take a few minutes here to discuss the business of loving your family.
A few years ago for Valentine's Day, I put my affairs in order
As a follow up, I suggested some tips and resources.
And later, I emphasized the importance of really taking on the task of getting wills.
No one got the warm fuzzys over wills that year. But we did get some peace of mind, we ensured as best we could, the continuity of the family (see above).
This year, I feel like I can be in a more playful mood.
We will celebrate Valentine's as a couple and as a family. We'll have an extra special dinner that includes The Kid.
We'll celebrate as a couple too - we always try to take advantage of "alone time," big people time," throughout the year.
But this year, instead of reaching into our purses and wallets for expensive gifts, we'll tap into our "inner Don Juan," and "inner Cleopatra" for a very special Valentine's evening.
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work.
Joy Oglesby has a preschooler...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s.
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters.
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces.
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 15, and Lily, 7, and is married to a journalist, Bob Norman. She covers Broward County government, which is filled with almost as much drama as the Norman household. Almost.
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator and the father of a 7-year-old girl, and two boys ages 4 and 3.
Kyara Lomer Camarena has a 2-year-old son, Copelan, and a brand new baby. 
South Florida Parenting is your guide for local events and things to do with your family. Our site offers resources, features and insightful columns on all types of parenting issues.
Parents and their children can access a multitude of free educational resources.