Holidays Ahead!

By now, your little one is probably nicely "settled in" at nursery school or day care (if not, feel free to ask me about some separation strategies that might work). So, that means it's time for the holidays to start! Your family may celebrate Thanksgiving, Channukah, Kwanza, or Christmas, or even all of these holidays in one way or another. For small children, all holidays are early experiences with traditions and meanings that are important to their families--that's why you celebrate! Religious holidays are unique opportunities to transmit the strength, joy, and beauty of one's beliefs while enjoying a special time with your children.

I encourage parents to decide what's really important about the holidays and then look for ways to share that importance with small children. For instance, a great meal at Grandma's might be your family tradition for Thanksgiving. Is there something that you and your child(ren) can cook together and bring to the festive table? Once you get to Grandma's (or wherever you are invited), there may be a delay before the meal starts; make sure you have crayons and paper so your child can "decorate" Thanksgiving signs for the front door. If you emphasize the importance of giving thanks at this season (a worthy characteristic for children to be aware of), you can tell your child what you are thankful for. You can show your gratitude by sharing your good fortune--donating to/volunteering at a food bank with your child. Let your child pick out a food item to put in the food drive barrel at your local grocery store.

Just remember to focus on what's important about any holiday to you--don't worry about  what the neighbors are doing or what Grandma wants you to do. By making the holiday personal, your child will come to love the meaning of the day and look forward to each new year and the opportunity to celebrate.