Enjoy YOUR Holiday
As you ramp up into holdiay spirit, you might be tempted to put your self esteem in your kids’ hands. If they don’t like the cookies you bake, or seem disappointed in the gift you purchase, or show no interest in a family movie night, you may feel like you’re failing them. Their reaction may bring your spirits down.
Shift the Focus
Concentrate on what makes this holiday season meaningful and twinkly for YOU. Each time you make a plan, make sure you enjoy it and inhabit fully. Let your children’s reactions ride side car. Sometimes they’ll be into it and sometimes they won’t, but it’s not because you didn’t put in enough effort.
Put your energy where it makes your life brighter and merrier. If your kids happen to appreciate the bright and merry with you, that’s a bonus!
By the way: they can also make the holiday bright and merry for themselves. Give them the twinkle lights and the glue gun and the evergreens to decorate as they wish. Turn them loose in the kitchen with your supervision. The more they participate, the more they will feel like the holiday is meaningful to them.
One of my favorite activities as a kid was to wrap each of the stairwell posts in red ribbon. This took a long time at my grandmother‘s house and I have such fond memories of it. Think about ways your children can turn this season into something special that requires their effort rather than just appreciating yours.
This post was originally shared on Instagram.
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