HOLIDAYS
FOR SINGLE PARENTS OR BLENDED FAMILIES
by Susan
Ginsberg, Ed. D.
Making
the holidays enjoyable for families with single parents or stepfamilies can
be especially challenging. Here are some suggestions:
Involve kids in
some of the planning.
This is important because typically children from a divorced or newly reconstituted
family feel a loss of control. Adults seem to be making all of the decisions.
Just be aware that younger children particularly will choose options that
seem the most convenient and least upsetting to everyone else.
When your plans
are firm, let kids know
what to expect, who will pick them up and take them to their dadĦs house.
They also need to know how long they will stay, where they will sleep, who
else will be there, and how and when they can call or send email to the other
parent.
Try to facilitate
contact with the other parentĦs relatives. Arrange visits with grandparents, aunts, and uncles, if they
want to see the child and the child wants to see them.
Find ways to make
kids comfortable with new stepbrothers and sisters. Make special time for them in pairs so they
can get to know each other in an un-pressured surrounding. Board games and
cards can be a good way to break the ice when all the kids are together.
DonĦt expect kids
to make an instant adjustment
to a new family and new siblings. They may not act happy all of the time.
DonĦt force it. If a remarriage is recent and the families hardly know each
other, itĦs okay for kids to sometimes feel sad.
Honor rituals from previous families by letting everyone
choose (and perhaps cook) a special dish. Read children their own holiday
story or teach everyone a holiday song. Then add some new traditions. Take
pictures to create memories of your time together and let each child make
his or her own photo album.
(adapted
from Work & Family Life
newsletter, edited by Susan Ginsberg