5 Tips for a Thoughtful, Peaceful Christmas

The stress and feelings that the holidays bring can definitely make the “the most wonderful time of the year” less wonderful and take the focus off the profound meaning of Christmas. We have a variety of articles to encourage you this holiday season and help you keep balance and perspective in the craziness.

When your child just HAS to have that thing for Christmas
Your little darling comes to you with face lit up, a picture and product details in hand, their logic detailed into a lawyer-like brief, and begs with passion for that one special thing for Christmas. Have you ever found yourself giving in to gift requests when your gut tells you it’s not a good idea?

The Gift of NOT Giving: What Kids REALLY Want for Christmas
Don’t get us wrong — Christmas gifts can be a fun way to show love and appreciation for family and friends; in fact, one of the five “love languages” is gift-giving! This holiday season, think about your traditions and gift-giving practices and the values they communicate to your family.

Is There Harm in Convincing Kids Santa is Real?
Is the telling of tall tales really good for our kids? Many families view these stories as an integral part of the holiday traditions that bring great, connective fun between parents and kids. (And at Connected Families we certainly do love connection between parents and kids!)

Adapting Christmas for Adopted Kids
For many adopted children who might have a history of trauma, the holidays can be extremely challenging – for everyone! This article is a short list of practical ideas to help parents maintain some peace and connection during this season.

Why This Mom Loved Her Messy, Lopsided Christmas Tree
Cultivating an attitude of loving our kids no matter what (even when their decorating or behavior is less than perfect), is one of the best gifts you can give them this Christmas!  Read this short post for how this looks practically.