Thanksgiving Preparations

Have you figured out your Thanksgiving plans for next week yet? As you finalize your plans of what you are cooking for dinner, who you are gathering together with, and where your celebrations will take place, we encourage you to remember the importance of this holiday, family.

Holidays often become a stressful time as there are many things to figure out and prepare for our family gatherings. This year, we encourage you to find a way to include your children in these preparations, and also to lower your own stress.


4 WAYS TO HELP AVOID STRESS
WHEN INVOLVING YOUR CHILDREN:

1. Start early - Involving your children almost always takes longer than if you were to do the task alone. Adding extra helpers can definitely make your job harder, so make sure to start early to allow for extra time without adding the stress.

2. Plan out each family member's role in the activity - Before involving your child, make sure that you plan out the "job" that he/she will have. Make it specific so that your child will understand what their role in the activity is, and what your role is. Also, make sure that he/she will feel valued and feel like they are contributing to the activity.

3. Have no expectations - When choosing an activity for your child to help with, make sure that it is something that can't easily be messed up. If he/she is helping you cook, make sure that they aren't in a situation where the recipe has to be followed exactly to "work." It is always helpful to add room for error, so that if it does occur, it doesn't add stress.

4. Enjoy your time - As you are spending time with your child, make sure that you are in a good mindset. What do we mean by this? If you feel rushed or stress, your child will be able to tell and it might rattle them as well. Do your very best to make sure that you are enjoying spending time with your child. Remember, your job is to create an environment where memories can be made!

So now the most important thing to figure out is how you are going to get your child involved!

Could your child...

- help you carry in the groceries from the car?

- help you set the table?

- make place cards and set them around the table?

- help with any food preparation?

- help clear the table after dinner?

- help with the dishes?

- help you come up with an activity to play after dinner?

HOW ARE YOU PLANNING ON GETTING YOUR CHILD INVOLVED?