While decades of cherished memories warm our hearts, the growing family means that some of those traditions must change to accommodate the wishes and plans of our adult children. I now have adult children and am learning as I go on how to handle the holidays. I came across this info and thought I would pass it on to you!
So, how to plan celebrations without setting ourselves up for hurt and disappointment when plans don't turn out the way we expected? According to Kathy McCoy, a family therapist and author of several books, including Making Peace With Your Adult Children, here are some tips I thought I would share!
Commit to being flexible and minimizing expectations. "It's a good way to start and avoid hurt feelings on both sides," McCoy says.
Put yourself in your adult child's place. "Young marrieds are often torn," McCoy says. "They may have in-laws and divorced parents and are trying to please everyone. Ask yourself, 'How can I enjoy my child and at the same time not put undue stress on them?' " I know change is hard, but as a parent, that is one thing we are to do, is to let our kids have their own lives, to basically let go, and create their own traditions.
In the next month, I will be adding more blog posts to go with this one!
Happy Holidays yall!
