Getting the Most Out of Your Holiday Season
The holiday season can be filled with family fun, traditions and fond memories. However, the holidays can also be stressful mentally and financially. Children find all the activities around the holidays to be exciting and often tiring. Children rely on their parents to model good behavior and to appropriately calm them during often overwhelming days. Here are some suggestions on how to make the holiday season joyous and a little more peaceful.
Have a family meeting early- Get the whole family together and talk about what each holiday means to your family. Have a discussion and talk about your expectations. If you decorate, make assignments. If you give gifts, talk about the reason for giving and how to receive with thanks. Talk about family rituals. Rituals are important for children; they make children feel safe and give them something to look forward to. It is fun to make new rituals; have the children be involved in the process. Having boundaries with internal and external family members is a must. Having clear communication within your family is vital and one of the main goals of your family meeting. Having clear boundaries with other relatives is equally important, and the adults in the family should make those decisions before the family meeting and share these boundaries with their external family members.
Many times holidays can be sad for people. You might have lost a loved one or had a bad year. During your family meeting, you can talk about how to make this holiday’s season fun and start the New Year off in a positive manner. If you feel like you need help, seek it out and give the gift of self-help to yourself.
Give back to your community. Find a place to volunteer during the holidays.
Here are some articles and resources you might find helpful:
Surviving the Holidays: 5 Life Coaching Tips
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-m-lynch/surviving-the-holidays-5_b_373997.html
Surviving the Holidays
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/couch-meets-world/201111/surviving-the-holidays
Tidings of Conflict and Joy: Surviving the Holidays
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/tidings-of-conflict-and-joy-surviving-the-holidays
Finding a Therapist in the East Bay
http://counselingcalifornia.com/california-therapist/find-a-therapist-in-east-bay.html