It is so easy to get carried away with the Christmas rush, overspending, over indulging, environmental waste and the gift race. But let’s pull the break and think for a moment about what it is that we all REALLY want, including our kids.
I asked my 2 kids two questions, they had 4 seconds to answer each one:
Question 1: ‘What do did you get for Christmas last year’? 1sec, 2sec, 3sec, 4sec, ‘mhhh I can’t remember’, said all my 3 kids!! Well I can, because I bought a very expensive skateboard, an aquarium and a camera!
Question 2: ‘What do you remember from Christmas eve last year’? 1sec, 2sec, ‘Ohh we played that funny game where we had to guess who, and we danced around the Christmas tree and sang songs AND Uncle Jacob and his family came, which they normally don’t do’.
So this year I want to do more of what they DO remember and that cause less overspending, stress, worries or disappointment. I want to give them the biggest gift of all ‘my presence’. And here are some tips that will help you to do the same:
- Get crafty: even though you are not crafty, you can start making gifts together to family members, teachers or friends. Homemade cookies in a recycle jam with a ribbon around – drawings in a frame or glued to a piece of cut out cardboard etc.
- Become a BE’er not a DO’er: try to stay more connected and focused when you are with your family. Put a side worries, your to do list, cooking/cleaning/shopping etc. Why not do those things together, it will give your kids a sense of purpose and that they are needed and make you less of a nagging martyr! Furthermore, by including your kids in the jobs that need to be done, you set them up for success in the future. Since they will have learned from home that we all have to chip in in order to get a happy and harmonies holiday.
- Create Traditions: try to think about what you and your family will enjoy together and start create memories that will last for ever? A board game played the same day every year, an action that you do every year i.e. make a ginger bread house, build a Christmas village, bake cookies together that you give to teachers/friends/family members, decorate the tree together (without you being the boss or take over!!), decorate the Christmas table together with new plate decoration each year etc.
So allow yourself to stop and think about ‘what is important to me and my family’ and how can you create the Christmas you want your kids to remember back to
If you would like more parenting tips CLICK here
The ParentingSuccess Coaching Team wishes you a Merry & Mindful Christmas
www.parentingsuccesscoaching.com
