New Year, New Skills

Happy New Year!!!  It's time to make those New Year's resolutions.  Now is a great time to refocus our parenting skills.  I remember a time when I had to evaluate myself.  I found myself losing my temper and raising my voice a little too often to my little ones.  I didn't want my children to remember their childhood mother as a raving lunatic; so, I evaluated my behavior and decided to allow myself more time to react to situations that stressed me.  I remembered the old sayings "Don't cry over spilled milk!" and "Don't sweat the small stuff!" and these became my new motivation.  Sometimes we get overwhelmed with life's little problems, but we must remember to choose wisely our reactions, especially for our children's sake.  What we do now will affect our children for the rest of their lives.  It will make them who they will become!  So...the next time you catch your child playing in the litter box, cutting sister's hair, or writing on the wall, give yourself a moment...Don't sweat it...Gently, remind your child of the hazard, wash them up, and give them a hug.  This is what you want them to remember...LOVE!

Family Fun Night, December 2014

Here's a glimpse of our latest Family Fun Night.  We had a family movie, pizza party, crafts, gingerbread man decorating, and some terrific gifts.  What a wonderful time of family bonding!

Gingerbread men!!!

 Crafts!!!

                                         PIZZA!!!!

Holiday Traditions

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa this holiday season, spending these times with family can be a great way to bond and use those nurturing skills.  Handing down our traditions is a part of parenting that we all can enjoy.  Children love to learn about their heritage and ancestry.  Giving them the opportunity to celebrate these moments as a family unit, will encourage their social-emotional growth and development.  It will allow them to become more social and develop into well-rounded individuals.  What do you do to celebrate these holidays?  An example of my family holiday is as follows:

After Thanksgiving we take our traditional trip to the Christmas Tree Farm.  This is always the Friday following Thanksgiving and never later than the Saturday after Turkey Day.  We all pile in the Ford truck and head to the field.  We trudge through the snow, row after row, until we find that "perfect" tree.  This annual trip to the tree farm is followed by hot chocolate and then decorating of the tree and house.  The kids love finding all of their old school

ornaments and sentimental keepsakes that are placed on the tree.  We remember all of the special moments of the Christmas season during these decorating sessions.

Another holiday tradition is baking cookies and making gingerbread houses.  Rally the kids together and let them decorate with icing and candy.  You will love the laughter and joy that comes along with this activity.

No matter what family activity you do during these holidays, your family will love spending time together and enjoying in the festivities of the holiday season. Enjoy these moments, because they are the moments that last a lifetime.  The memories are always there and will always be a part of the family bond that we will all share.