Caring for Kids

An Accredited Organization of Parents Anonymous ® Inc.

by Imelda Tatsch

Happy 2009!!!

The holidays are over; all the parties attended, the gifts have all been exchanged, and extended families have returned home….now what? How did this holiday season leave you? Are you filled with hope for what the New Year may bring or completely worn down?

Holidays can be a stressful time with all the activities, but the days afterward can be just as stressful. We start with Thanksgiving and are running non-stop until New Years Day. On January 2nd, we have to switch back in to pre-holiday routines. It’s kind of like riding a rollercoaster with all the ups and downs and twists and turns -- then the ride ends. Not slow and easy, but suddenly with a quick jerking dead stop!

Okay, as a parent you know how this makes you feel, and you can understand why you might feel this way. Our children may not understand, and they have been on this roller coaster with us.

What were the holidays like for you as a child? Dd you look forward to them, or was it a less than joyful season at your house? How has your childhood holiday experiences affected your adult experiences? Whatever that feeling was, how much of it are you passing on to your children? Are there patterns that you can see being repeated?

I imagine there are.

Some are good, and we want to keep those, preserving the traditions and good memories. Some, however, may not be.

Often we don’t realize we are repeating those patterns because we learn what we live and do what we know. We all make choices and decisions based only on the information we have been given. If we were given negative information, our choices may reflect that. If we want a different outcome we have to make different choices, and sometimes that means seeking out new information.

A new year means new opportunities; it’s a time for changes. If you take the time to reflect, you may see the need to take advantage of the opportunity to change. Keep in mind that if it is difficult for you to consider change, it may be even more difficult for your children. We need to be mindful of their feelings and be a little more patient and tolerant as we hope others will be with us. Let them know you understand. Sometimes just knowing someone feels the same and understands, makes the transitions a little smoother.

Imelda Tatsch

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Imelda Tatsch is the Program Director at the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center (NETCAC) located in Winnsboro, and her columns appear in their bi-monthly newsletter. In "Caring for Kids" she offers support, insight, and a touch of humor for parents and grandparents. She is a trained facilitator for parenting classes.

She will be happy to answer questions about parenting and family relationships. You can e-mail her with your questions.