Embracing the Spirit of the Season
and radio, and lift the mood with inspiring
music--or simply hear the power in silence?
Take time as a family for reflection.
If your tradition includes prayer, what better time than these special days in December,
when so many religions celebrate the miracle of
faith? But whether you pray or not, how about
a family conversation about the deeper meaning of the holiday you celebrate? Maybe you’ll
decide to open your holiday dinner with a special candle lighting ritual or gratitude ceremony
to remind you why you’re all together.
Model gratitude.
Gratitude is a time-honored spiritual path that
makes us happier and more generous regardless
of our beliefs about the nature of the divine.
The deeper our gratitude, the greater our ability
to receive, and the more we get out of life. Of
course, children don’t have the context to understand their many blessings, and guilt isn’t an
effective teacher.
Modeling is the best strategy; simply noting
aloud, frequently, how lucky we are to have this
sunny day, this bountiful meal, this reliable
car, such a terrific teacher or neighbor, and,
of course, each other. Family habits like grace
before meals, counting our blessings, or a thank
you at bedtime for the delights of the day plant
seeds for your child to develop a deeper gratitude as she matures.
Help your child find his inner angel.
24
Children (like the rest of us) find it puzzling
that the world is so often unjust. It’s empowering for them to know that there are always
helpers in the world, and that they can choose
to be one. Whatever your religious beliefs, you
probably want your kids to know that the angels and elves -- literally or figuratively -- depend on our help.
Generosity starts with a feeling of having plenty
-- emotionally, more than materially -- and develops as we have experiences of making others
happy by giving to them. Research shows that
the experience of giving actually activates an
area of the brain that gives us physical pleasure.
If we want to teach our kids the true meaning
of the holidays, we need to help them have the
experience of giving to others, so they can discover their own joy in it. If you don’t already
have a holiday tradition of giving as a family,
why not help your child discover his inner angel by creating one? There is a great list of ideas
to choose from on the Aha! Parenting website.
Love is always in the room with you, no matter
what day it is, or what your faith may be. What
better time to help your child listen?