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'Tis the Season for a Stress-free Holiday
10 Parenting Tips That Will Bring Back the Joy and Peace
4. Avoid the junk food.
At this time of year, you've got more than enough excitement without it. You can make your special delicious chocolate fudge, sure, but give it out just one piece at a time. Fill in with healthier snacks. Banana nut bread, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, raisins, nuts and fruits are tasty and easy for kids to digest. For a festive dessert, make Jell-O in red and green layers; then splash each serving with a dollop of whipped topping and sprinkle on colored sugars. 5. For older kids, limit yourself to four or five gifts per child.
This is enough to make an exciting display around the tree. Also, when it's time to open the gifts, take it one gift at a time. Your children will enjoy not just opening their own gifts, but also watching their family members open theirs. Half the fun of the holidays for your kids is watching their siblings ooh and aah over the gifts that they picked out for them. And remember, other relatives will give your children gifts, too. "We've all seen our kids open a gift, express supreme joy in receiving it with an 'Oh, cool!' and then toss it aside to move on to the next gift," Bentz says. "By giving your kids fewer gifts, the items you do give them will be more special and more appreciated."
6. Give your children presents that help them develop their special interests and talents.
If you're not sure exactly what they are into these days, ask! What could be a better opportunity for open communication? "You may be surprised to find that your son or daughter doesn't want that pricey toy you feared would break your budget," Bentz says. "Take the list your kids give you and get them those things that will actually help them to develop their interests or talents. If you have a child interested in drawing, get him an easel and some canvases and paints. If you have an aspiring singer in the family, get her a microphone and recorder so that she can record her own songs." Want to see more?
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