National Step Family Day is September 16th. Christy Tusing-Borgeld is the founder and the first National Step Family Day was celebrated September 16th, 1997 almost thirteen years ago.
The goal is for all stepfamilies to rejoice in being different, and celebrate that you are a step family. This year’s day is scheduled to be on a Wednesday, so if you don’t have your entire step family with you- you may want to celebrate on another day (possibly the weekend before or the weekend after.)
National Stepfamily Day is supported by: The National Stepfamily Resource Center (NSRC) is a division of Auburn University’s Center for Children, Youth, and Families (CCYF). Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder, Director of the Center for Children, Youth, and Families at Auburn University.
The mission of Step Family Day is – to have a strong commitment to support the stepfamilies of our nation in their mission to raise their children, create strong family structures to support the individual members of the family, instill in them a sense of responsibility to all extended family members.
Founder Christy Tusing-Borgeld hopes that all step families will celebrate with a picnic. She also provides other ideas to celebrate this day:
• Have a family portrait taken
• Dinner and a Movie
• Make a “Blending of the Sand Bottle” Buy a long and narrow bottle. Buy small packages of colored sand. ( you can buy the bottle and sand and local craft stores) Have each member of the family pick a different color. Then layer by layer have each member pour their colored sand in the bottle. The bottle represents one united family.
• Game Night (play cards or your favorite board games)
• Make a Photo Scrapbook. Have each member make their page.
• Go to the zoo, library, museum, or art museum.
• Do a family activity like fishing, back yard camping, hiking, flash-light hiking (hiking at night) biking, miniature golf, softball, volleyball, horseback riding, bowling, or go for a long walk.
• Make a dinner that consist of everyone’s favorite foods and make this dinner every year for National Stepfamily Day. Set the table like a 4 star restaurant.
• For Stepfamily members who live far away, write them a postcard or an email.
• Make homemade ice cream or go out for ice cream
• Make “smores” in the fireplace or outdoors.
• Plant an indoor garden and watch it grow. Or plant fall bulbs. Start a Family cookbook. Write personal notes after each recipe about the individual family member's favorite foods.
• Start a Family cookbook. Write personal notes after each recipe about the individual family member's favorite foods.
• International night. Celebrate your family heritages by eating the traditional heritage foods. Tell your children about your heritage.
• Take the family to a “family fun spot” in your town.
• Take a road trip. Fill the car with gas, pack some sandwiches and drinks in the cooler and go for a drive. Sing songs or play car bingo.
• Plan a Family Room Slumber party. Don’t forget the movies and popcorn!
• Family “Get A Way” Night. Take the family to a nice hotel and go swimming and enjoy some time away from home.
• If your family is having some difficulties, (As every family can have) take this day as a time to try to reach out. Write letters to each other on how you would like to see things turn around.
• Craft Together. Make T-shirts with fabric paints. Buy a Table cloth and with permanent marker have everyone sign the table cloth along with a “positive message” about why I love my family.
For more information:
• The National Stepfamily Resource Center- www.nationalstepfamilyday.com
• Join the National Stepfamily Day- “Supporting the Cause” on Facebook, www.facebook.com
• National Step Family Day Picnic- http://www.nationalstepfamilyday.com/national-stepfamily-day-picnic.php
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