Give them three gifts from Santa and spend the rest of the day cultivating a holiday tradition that will last long after the batteries die out from the high tech gifts. Here are some of my favorite simple traditions.
Posted tagged ‘parenting about’
Presents or Presence?
December 19, 2011Cultivate holiday happiness and gratitude
December 12, 2011Come to Littleton, Mass. tonight, Dec. 12, 7-9 pm for a parents forum to reduce holiday stress. It’s $15 if you RSVP. Two for $20. Here are three suggestions to defuse the holiday stress, that we women mostly heap on ourselves, in response to impossible standards set by the media, that we internalize. Martha Stewart has a crew of dozens to create her “effortless” crafts, meals and decorations. No one can live up to those ridiculous benchmarks.
Is my child deaf?
October 3, 2011If your child has heard you and chooses not to respond, you must ACT not YAK. (Thanks to Dr. Sam Goldstein for the brilliant Act Don’t Yak.) Do not repeat what you said unless you want to continue to train her to ignore what you say.
Can you see how it is imperative to follow through immediately by acting? Make sure you are kind, firm and immediate. You will have to get up, interrupt what you’re doing and prove you mean business.
Me and we time
June 27, 2011“We time” is an essential investment in a family’s well-being and preservation. I remember my last few hours of “me time” in June: the baby was down for her morning nap, the boys were at their last day of preschool and my oldest was in first grade. I thought, “What should I do with this time, [...]
This could happen anywhere
June 20, 2011Scarce resources make for interesting family times. Enrique, 10, says, “Dad, can I have some ice cream? Dad says, “There’s a little left. You can have it.” Maria, 8, pipes up, “I want some.” Enrique agrees to share with Maria. Dad is flabbergasted because Enrique has Asperger Syndrome and sharing is rare. Elated, dad goes back [...]
