Chandler, Arizona
Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
Blog
Holiday Traditions
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:16 AM |
We didn’t have class Monday evening since it was the day
after Christmas and some of our students still had their family in town. Since there are no class questions to ponder
and expound on, I thought I’d take the time to offer musings on holiday
traditions.
Christmas is just one of the many holidays we celebrate throughout
the year. In part, the commercialism
surrounding this particular event also makes December one of the most overblown
months of the year. Some families have the additional tug-of-war of trying to be
all things to all people. One set of
in-laws wants to host, the other set of in-laws wants to host and thus a fine
balancing act begins. In order to preserve the wonder of any holiday, be it
Christmas or otherwise, I take a word of advice from Buddy the Elf, “Treat
every day like Christmas.” If you celebrate
this holiday - how excited were your toddler/elementary school-age children on Christmas day? How patient were you with them? How forgiving were you of slight
transgressions on the part of other friends or family members? The joy and the love that dominate the day are
infectious, and I think that Buddy completely captures that spirit. Holiday traditions are the roots we sow for our family. I had to talk myself off of the ledge when I
was disappointed that we weren’t finding the material things our children
wanted. I had to take a deep breath and
remind myself that my immediate family had gathered from across the US to spend
Angelika’s first Christmas with us. Our
kiddos are so excited to have a set of grandparents, aunt and uncles here that they are
barely playing with the toys they already have, let alone the ones I couldn’t
find for them. After present opening,
they were so excited about the day in general that nothing was going to dampen
their mood. I propose that you and I consider these things instead of
getting caught up in the hype and hoopla of the weeks and days preceding
Christmas, or any holiday for that matter: - What
special memory do you want to make during the holiday you are celebrating? - Are
there any pictures you want to take to capture the spirit? - Can
you find a yearly place to take a picture of your kiddos as your family grows
so that you can measure their growth: a tree, a doorframe, a landmark? - Is
there a special food that you make that you can start involving your children
in preparing so that they learn your recipes over time? - Do
you print photos to send as cards or write letters? Save one each year in a photo book so that
you can look back and see what the highlights were each year, and you can take
the time to do a little journaling about the actual holiday on a index card
that can be taped to the card or inserted into the album. - Is
there an activity that your children want to do that you can find time
for? When my family is here we get the
fixings to make S’mores and enjoy a night out around the chimenea roasting
marshmellows and making gooey treats. - Is
there an activity that appeals to you that you always wished you could do? Having your own family allows you the special
opportunity to make your own memories and start your own traditions – now is
the time to be the change you want to see in the world (Gandhi). Talk to your partner and decide what you want
to do and make it be part of your family story. - Do
you want to capture your kiddos’ antics on video? This is ever easier in the age of the
smartphone. As moments in life unfurl,
they can be captured on digital image, so keep your camera fingers ready to
roll. Capture movements, voices and
their little language idiosyncrasies.
Their voices change and their shyness may increase as your children get
older, so immortalize their antics now while they will still let you record
them. - Can you take your family to a nursing home to visit during lunch or dinner time? So many of the residents are alone over the holidays. They are energized by the sight of young families, especially babies. I remember going to dance with my class when I was younger - they were the happiest audience I ever danced for. In the spirit of giving, you can have your children make hand-made cards to share with the residents. Do your children have the itch to perform - prepare a show! Call first and speak to the director or activities coordinator - you can arrange a time and day with them and most folks will be thrilled for the chance to have a little joy shared in their "home". - I hear many moms talk about going to serve at food kitchen, including my own mother. I don't know what kept us from following through on her wish. My in-laws have served food to the needy for years and although they are exhausted at the end of the day, their hearts are full and they have truly exemplified the spirit of giving that the season was supposed to represent before the sale-mania took over. Find a food pantry or soup kitchen that you can serve next year - even if it's not on Christmas day, your children and you will be blessed by your day(s) of service. Another tradition from my childhood that I would like to incorporate now that our children are old enough to "ooh and ahh" with us is driving out to see the holiday lights. It was so difficult to wrap gifts because the kiddos were bouncing off the walls with excitement. Next year we want to try loading up the car with hot chocolate, gluten-free cookies, warm blankets and bouncy children before wrapping time. (I should add "toothbrushes and toothpaste" for my dentist...that would be stretching it, though!) I hope that they will love the time in the car looking out at the "fairy lights" as Brussito calls them, and we can continue on with the tradition I had with my family. Parenting is a journey of exploration and learning. Our children are sponges and they will adopt
our attitudes about the way we live in the world. If you want them to do something outside of
the material hustle and bustle, then lead the way by example. If you try something and no one likes it,
chuck it – at least your children will learn it’s not scary to try new things,
and that it’s okay to move on from experiments that don’t work out. When you do find things that you like, then you are building
special times for you and your family. I
can still remember the smell of making tamales although I haven’t eaten pork
tamales for eleven years. I remember the
excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house. The positive aspect is that when your idea works well,
then a new family tradition is born. You
start building positive memories in your child’s memory bank that will bring
them to your table after they are grown.
Then the circle of life continues when they start making their own
family traditions, which as enlightened parents you may choose to willingly
embrace. Take the time to make your own family memories now, for the
early years go by ever so quickly. We
can vouch for that personally as we hold our newborn and ponder the fact that
our first-born is turning seven next month.
Although we can still remember the day we brought Ysabella home from the
hospital, she is clearly growing up and there is no stopping Father Time. What is a holiday tradition in your
home? Disclaimer: The material included
on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. for our Spring Series March 5, 2012 to May 21, 2012 For more information or to register, please call us at 602-684-6567 or email us at [email protected] |
Categories: Infant Classes, Parenting, Photographer, Planning for Baby, Toxins, pesticides, chemicals and pregnancy
Post a Comment
Oops!
The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.
1 Comment
Loading...

Reply
Yolanda
2:22 PM on January 3, 2012
There was a request last night to go see holiday lights, too bad we didn't follow through on it. Maybe tonight, our last night here for this visit.
Categories
- Why we chose the Bradley Method� childbirth classes (14)
- Birth center (34)
- Birth Centers Phoenix AZ area (8)
- Birth place options (36)
- Bradley Method� outcome (44)
- Managing or coping with natural labor (33)
- natural labor coping mechanisms (35)
- Natural labor coping techniques (35)
- Pain management (23)
- Pain management natural labor (18)
- The Bradley Method� pain management (19)
- First stage labor (29)
- Birth plans (72)
- The Bradley Method® (68)
- Birth Story (33)
- Bradley Method® birth story (16)
- Birth Circle (9)
- Midwife (36)
- Midwifery Care (32)
- Cesarean Birth (35)
- Cesarean Surgery (27)
- Doulas (50)
- Second Stage Labor (21)
- Acupuncture (5)
- Parenting (63)
- Use of vacuum extraction (1)
- Breastfeeding (232)
- Chiropractic Care (10)
- Webster Protocol (3)
- Breastfeeding support (154)
- Information Center (101)
- The Bradley Method® classes (57)
- Placenta Encapsulation (11)
- Postpartum Depression (31)
- Breech presentation (8)
- Breech turning techniques (6)
- ECV (6)
- External Cephalic Version (6)
- Infections and Pregnancy (7)
- Bradley� Coaches (47)
- Coach's Corner (14)
- Coaches (47)
- Coaching (39)
- Exercise (18)
- Modern Mommy Boutique (10)
- Nursing and Maternity Bras (4)
- Transition (11)
- Postpartum Plan (29)
- Grief Counseling and Support Services (3)
- Miscarriage or Stillbirth (8)
- Pregnancy Loss (4)
- Variations and Complications (17)
- Going to your birthplace (9)
- Homebirth (58)
- Hospital Birth (57)
- Informed Consent (29)
- Patient Bill of Rights (2)
- Dehydration and Pregnancy (5)
- Fluid Retention (3)
- Heat Comfort Measures (7)
- Hyperthermia and Pregnancy (2)
- Pre-term Labor (4)
- Swelling in Pregnancy (2)
- Full term (9)
- Past due date (6)
- Postdate (7)
- Postmature baby (2)
- Crying (8)
- Newborn Care (23)
- Fussy baby (11)
- Support Groups (17)
- Pregnancy (69)
- Avoiding harmful substances (32)
- Toxins, pesticides, chemicals and pregnancy (18)
- Starting Solids (14)
- Drinking during labor (11)
- Eating during labor (12)
- NPO (2)
- Nutrition (37)
- Due Date (9)
- Planning for Baby (34)
- Child Spacing (3)
- Sibling Preparation for Newborn Arrival (9)
- Breastfeeding 101 (24)
- Debbie Gillespie, IBCLC, RLC (8)
- Circumcision (2)
- Lactivist (3)
- In Their Own Words (36)
- NIP (25)
- Nursing In Public (28)
- Childcare (17)
- Infant Classes (5)
- Photographer (5)
- Epidural (15)
- Depression (12)
- Allergies (3)
- Dairy Allergy (2)
- Breast Pumps (19)
- Postpartum Doula (11)
- Jaundice (2)
- Newborn jaundice (1)
- RSV (4)
- Postpartum (55)
- Labor Marathon (20)
- Labor Sprint (17)
- Belly Cast (2)
- Maternity Keepsake (1)
- Natural birth (34)
- Obstetrical Care (16)
- Engorgement (2)
- Uterine Rupture (3)
- Berman's Law (1)
- Back Labor (3)
- Healing (8)
- Hearing Screen (1)
- Perineum (4)
- Herbalist (2)
- Tandem Nursing (5)
- Breastfeeding Challenges (91)
- Tongue Tie (2)
- Tongue Tie Procedure (2)
- Bradley Day Family Picnic (5)
- Cephalo-Pelvic Disproportion (3)
- CPD (3)
- Failure to Progress (10)
- Fetal Distress (2)
- FTP (5)
- Pain (4)
- Prolonged Labor (3)
- Baby games (4)
- Playing with baby (5)
- Sensory games (2)
- Cesarean Support Group (16)
- Baby blues (8)
- NAP (5)
- Natural Alignment Plateau (6)
- Baby-led weaning (2)
- BLW (2)
- Comfort Measures (15)
- Flower Essences (4)
- Relaxation practice (4)
- First Foods for baby (2)
- Babywearing (21)
- Nursing (31)
- Sling (2)
- Soft-structured carrier (1)
- Wrap (2)
- Weaning (2)
- Co Sleeping (6)
- Family Bed (6)
- Relaxation (6)
- Meet the Doula (24)
- Bradley Method® (37)
- Bradley Method® for next baby (4)
- Bradley Method® for second pregnancy (5)
- Bradley™ classes and the next baby (4)
- Bradley™ classes for next pregnancy (3)
- Bradley™ classes for second pregnancy (3)
- Next baby (5)
- Next pregnancy (7)
- Repeat Bradley™ classes (1)
- Bedtime Routine (5)
- Children's Books (3)
- Breast Pumps and Workplace (10)
- Breastfeeding in Public (37)
- Communication (8)
- Labor Support (25)
- Amniotomy (5)
- AROM (6)
- Artifical Rupture of Membranes (5)
- Bag of Waters (5)
- Premature Ruptture of Membranes (4)
- PROM (4)
- ROM (4)
- Rupture of Membranes (4)
- La Leche League (8)
- Nursing Strike (2)
- Galactogogues (1)
- Increase Breastmilk (2)
- Milk Supply (2)
- CIO (4)
- Cry It Out (4)
- Teething (1)
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum (1)
- Morning Sickness (3)
- Nausea (2)
- Eclampsia (1)
- Healthy, Low-Risk (16)
- Pre-eclampsia (5)
- Rights for Homebirth (6)
- Traditions (2)
- Midwifery Scope of Practice Committee (5)
- Scavenger Hunt (1)
- Sweet Pea Births (5)
- Cassandra Okamoto (6)
- Mommy-Con (9)
- Phoenix Mommy-Con Mini (2)
- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (18)
- Vaginal Birth After Multiple Cesareans (10)
- VBAC (21)
- Monitrice (1)
- Baby Concierge (4)
- First Birthday (1)
- Oxytocin (2)
- Warning Labels (3)
- Inside Look (19)
- Induction (12)
- Induction of Labor (8)
- Labor Induction (11)
- Episiotomy (3)
- Info Sheet (22)
- Information Sheet (22)
- Augmentation (4)
- Labor Augmentation (9)
- Cord Clamping (2)
- Delayed Cord Clamping (2)
- Immediate Cord Clamping (2)
- Birth Mantra (19)
- Rally to Improve Birth (4)
- Eye Drops (1)
- Eye Ointment (1)
- Eye Prophylaxis (1)
- Neonatal Eye Drops (1)
- Neonatal Eye Ointment (1)
- Neonatal Eye Prophylaxis (1)
- Wordless Wednesday (37)
- Big Latch On (1)
- Blog Carnival (3)
- IBCLC (11)
- Lactation Consult (3)
- Lactation Consultation (3)
- WBW2013 (1)
- World Breastfeeding Week (51)
- Thoughtful Thursday (3)
- Family Fun (18)
- Weekend Activities (1)
- Upcoming Events (81)
- Breastfeeding Awareness Month (76)
- Sleep Sharing (1)
- Newborn (12)
- Newborn Procedures (3)
- Preemies (4)
- Twins (1)
- Vitamin K (1)
- Vaccines (3)
- Fertility (10)
- Premature Baby (4)
- Babymoon (4)
- Green Nursery (4)
- Gowning (1)
- Affirmation (20)
- Birth News (5)
- First Trimester (1)
- Membranes (3)
- Stripping Membranes (2)
- Sweeping Membranes (2)
- Fear-Tension-Pain Cycle (2)
- Third Trimester (2)
- Baby (26)
- Infant Care (9)
- Contest (1)
- Family Fest (9)
- Giveaway (1)
- Birth (33)
- Nursery (3)
- Bradley® Dads (3)
- Mantra (8)
- Waterbirth (3)
- Essential Oils (1)
- Gestational Diabetes (1)
- Q&A with SPB (23)
- NICU (3)
- Placenta (4)
- Birth Story Listening (1)
- Meditation (3)
- Birthing From Within (3)
- Ask the Doula (1)
- Monday Mantra (4)
/
Oops!
Oops, you forgot something.