Another year – where does the time go? As the children get older, time just seems to move on so much more rapidly. I trust you have all had a wonderful Holiday season with family and friends… and as we look forward to another New Year, we always try to set new goals, new resolutions and new dreams. I took some time this holiday season to prepare picture albums for my children – who are now grown adults! – and presented them to each one. As my husband and I were putting the albums together we laughed, but I secretly felt my eyes well up as I remembered how wonderfully happy and challenging those years with young children were. There is always a shadow lurking in the background saying “did I do enough,” “what would of have done differently” or “gosh... I wish I would of… (fill in the blank).”
But overall, I was good enough and would like to pass on to all of you some fun ideas and tips for family life:
- Routines are so very important – Meals together, bedtime stories, and birthday celebrations all add spice to life and stability to the daily routine.
- Pictures -- because they just don’t remember!! I thought my children would never forget that wonderful trip to Disney when I went all out and even had a breakfast with Mickey! A what?? They had no recollection other than to see themselves in the pictures I had painstakingly saved.
- Have special codes with your children; silly stuff that may only be important to them. We used to do “one good thing and one bad thing”. They each got a turn to recount their day with the good and bad highlights.
- As children grow give them chores and responsibilities. My saying has always been: Little children: little problems, their problems...Big children: big problems, responsible adults.
- Never underestimate the value of sleep, a health habit that endures a lifetime.
- Keep your dentist appointments.
- Immunize your child. Tragedies happen -- and they can be avoided.
- Teach children about the value and the power of money. Open an account with your child and teach them to budget, enjoy and save money.
- Don’t try to fix their problems for them. Children are terribly resilient and the underlying moral values with each tragedy are there for a purpose.
- Last, but of course never the least – smile as broadly as you can every time you greet your child no matter how old they are or what may be going on in their lives at that time; smile and light up in their presence. Let them see that they are such a very special part of your life.
May the New Year bring us all healthy relationships with our children, friends, and rest of the family,
Dr. Chrystal de Freitas
