Protecting Your Child’s Holiday Memories
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
This powerful quote has been shared far and wide throughout cyberspace. It has a particularly important application this time of year as you juggle the demands of co-parenting, the best interest of your children and your own desires throughout the holiday season.
You cannot control what happened in your relationship or your marriage. You cannot control how you feel about your ex, nor can you control the actions your ex will take around the holidays. However, you can control how you respond, how you act, and what you do to create warm and lasting memories for your children.
Keep the following tips in mind as you approach the upcoming holidays:
- Sharing is caring: If you and your ex are on relatively good terms, making some slight changes to your holiday schedule to accommodate extended family or specific plans may be a way to reduce stress and impart goodwill.
- Watch what you say: It is understandable that your friends or family may want to commiserate with you. However, nothing good comes from speaking poorly about the mother or father of your children in front of them.
- Keep the focus on your children: The time you spend and the memories you create with your children during this magical time of year will carry on in their hearts long after the presents have made their way to a thrift store or landfill.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself either. Remember to eat well, exercise and get plenty of rest so you can enjoy this time with your children and loved ones.