| With all there is to do during the holiday | | | | learn about disappointment as a child, but it's a |
| season-parties to attend, menus to plan, the | | | | whole lot tougher to be forced to learn it as an |
| house to decorate, gifts to buy, cards to mail | | | | adult. |
| out-it's probably the easiest season for letting the | | | | 5.b. Take your child's wish list to the mall and buy |
| children in your house feel completely alone during | | | | nothing on it: unless, of course, everything on it is |
| the chaos. Here are eight dumb things to NOT do | | | | inappropriate. Don't look at the list and decide that |
| as a parent during the holidays: | | | | you 'know better' what they 'need'-if a few of |
| 1. Don't involve your children in holiday | | | | the items on the list are within reason (even if |
| preparations: decorating the house, yard, or table; | | | | you don't see the attraction to them), go ahead |
| baking special goodies; buying and wrapping gifts; | | | | and allow the kids to be delighted with having |
| and preparing for guests. Children feel like an | | | | made some of their own choices. |
| important part of the season's activities when | | | | 6. Hold your kids hostage in the car for twelve |
| they're involved in these very visible holiday | | | | hours a day with no age- or location-appropriate |
| activities. | | | | activities: it's tough enough for youngsters to be |
| 2. Ask your children for ideas about special | | | | cooped up in a vehicle for a long day's drive to |
| activities or decorating ideas and don't use any of | | | | Grandma's-don't make it tougher by not bringing |
| them: Sure, the younger your children the less | | | | along fun activities like crayons and paper on a |
| practical their ideas may be, but to feel like | | | | clipboard, music and movies if you have the |
| they're adding some value to the family's | | | | technology onboard, books, and games to play. |
| preparation, try to incorporate a few of them. | | | | 7. Serve no kid-friendly foods for your special |
| 3. Go to dozens of holiday parties while leaving | | | | meals or at your parties: kids' tastes are not the |
| the kids at home with a sitter: this is a | | | | same as grownups' and even though there are |
| family-oriented season-don't let your child's most | | | | 'traditional' foods for each holiday, few children feel |
| memorable activities be sitting in front of the | | | | that the meal is as special when the table is filled |
| television with a disinterested teenager. | | | | with these strange 'delectables.' |
| 4. Have no way for your children to participate in | | | | 8. Don't share those golden nuggets of parenting |
| parties at your home: leaving the children out of | | | | wisdom that you've learned over the years: you |
| parties in your own home deprives them of | | | | may not be an award-winning parent, but you |
| developing social skills and learning more about | | | | have figured out solutions to many everyday |
| your family through your friends. | | | | parenting puzzles. |
| 5.a. Take your child's wish list to the mall and buy | | | | The holidays should be a memorable time of |
| everything on it: are you trying to encourage | | | | year-make them happy memories for your |
| greediness and self-centeredness in your child? | | | | children so they can continue that wonderful |
| What will they do when they get older and not | | | | family tradition. |
| everything goes their way? It may be tough to | | | | |