Not many families still have vinyl records.  Not many have turn tables to play these on.  But I am blessed to have both, and especially to be able to listen to this special album recorded in 1975.

This is what I call a precious keepsake.  It brings back memories of community, commitment, affirmation, exhilaration, determination and connection.  

Music does this for all of us. Music moves us. It takes us to places and memories, both in the present and the past.  We are transported back to other times in our lives.  But for me this is truly something I hold dear, my high school choir, the people who were in choir with me, and the affirmation from our director.  Mr. Housholder brought out the best in all of us, through hard work, time spent together, and personal dedication.  It is a lifelong lesson that I learned.  I learned that my commitment can mean more than my skill set.   Ask for excellence and experience an amazing result.  Work together as a team and experience a result that is far beyond one person’s effort.  The spirit of the music brings back all these memories, as well as affirms me in all that I do now.  

So is it is pitch (toss) or pitch (keeping in tune)? For me, it will be tuning up my life, for a long, long time.

What defines “precious” for every mom is different. Is it the first spelling test with 100? Or is it darling art work?  I help clients define what is precious. Something that is totally unique to that child, such as a handprint, a written story or a painting, is precious to me.  It is easier to assess what to keep by collecting the items for a month in an easy to access basket.  At the end of the month, have your child go over the items in there, having them share all about the work. 

Here are lots of great ideas once you have decided what to keep.

1.  Take a photo of the keepsake.

2.  Take a photo of your child with the keepsake.

3.   Scan the keepsake.

4.  Send keepsakes off to grandparents or other special family friends.

5.  Use the keepsakes for gift wrap.

6.  Make a book of the keepsakes.

7.  Keep the keepsakes in a large fed ex box by year in the top of a closet.

8.  Keep the art in a portfolio under a bed, in the back of a closet.

9.  Set up a “clothesline” with 6 clothespins on an wall in their bedroom. This is now the art display area. Rotate art monthly.

10.  Put together a 3 ring binder with 50 slip in sheets. Review the papers with your child and have them select one per week for the binder. This is now their precious keepsake and they will have something of pride for themselves too.

How do you keep your child’s precious keepsakes?