Holiday Tips For Stepfamilies
Holiday Tips For Stepfamilies: Let Go Of The "Brady Bunch"
Fantasy! When my co-author--Bill Merkel Ph.D.--and I first formed our stepfamily, I had many fantasies about how our family would behave like the "Brady Bunch" over the holidays-- a happy, harmonious, singing-and-dancing unit. Then reality struck, and we couldn't even agree on how to decorate the Christmas tree! Ultimately, we created a "his" side-with multi-colored, blinking lights and tinsel--and a "hers" side-with hand-painted eggs and popcorn strings. Seven years later, I can tell you that trying to create a "Brady Bunch" holiday sets stepfamilies up for failure. Instead, I suggest you follow these tips: 1. Examine and try to let go of your "Brady Bunch" fantasies. 2. Continue "old" holiday traditions with your biological kids
while creating new ones for the stepfamily. 3. If the kids don't buy into your fantasy holiday, try to see the world from their point of view. 4. Practice the fine art of silence when your stepfamily is stressed by the holidays. You don't have to share
all your negative feelings. 5. Don't compete with your children's "other" parents by showering kids with expensive gifts. 6. Stepmoms, reach out to your stepkids' mother. Buy her a gift.
Tell her you appreciate her children. 7. Don't fight with ex-spouses about how much time you will spend with children over the holidays. It only hurts the children 8. Invite your ex-spouses over for a holiday party. Brace for
surprises. 9. Join a stepparent support group to share the many feelings about "family" that come up during the holiday season. Lisa Cohn is co-author of "One Family, Two Family, New Family:
Stories And Advice For Stepfamilies," a 2004 Gold National
Parenting Publications Award winner. For more information, visit
http://www.stepfamilyadvice.com. Email her at cohnmerk@comcast.net
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Fewer holidays this year as money's tighterTravelBite.co.uk, UK -10 hours agoBrits will take fewer holidays this year as rising inflation and the credit crunch make money tighter, according to the latest poll by Norwich Union. ... |
Home swapping provides a break from pricey holidays - Scotsman
Meanwhile, look who's heading off on holidays - Sydney Morning Herald
Meanwhile, look who's heading off on holidaysSydney Morning Herald, Australia -13 hours ago... work was going on as normal, it appears Ms Neal, who last Thursday finally agreed to a police interview about the dinner drama, is planning a holiday. ... |
Mortgage holidays 'can be effective' - Saveborrowspend.co.uk
Mortgage holidays'can be effective'Saveborrowspend.co.uk, UK -11 hours agoOpting to take a mortgage holiday can be a useful tool for some borrowers, one expert has claimed. Although taking a break from payments may not be the best ... |
Are you being green washed? - guardian.co.uk
Are you being green washed?guardian.co.uk, UK -4 hours agoResponsible Travel promises 'hand-picked holidays from hundreds of specialist operators who care about the environment and local people'. ... |
Farm holidays put vacationers in touch with the land - Vancouver Sun
Santa’s Helpers getting early start on holidays - Huntsville Item
Santa’s Helpers getting early start on holidaysHuntsville Item, TX -53 minutes ago... primarily a youth ministry at Wesley Memorial UMC, and the youth of the church will be involved in the collection of toys through the winter holidays. ... |
Times are tight – but there’s always cash for a holiday - Independent
The Maddie factor that will haunt this year's family holidays - guardian.co.uk
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