The Holidays are definitely a tough time of year to be divorced or going through a divorce. We’re surrounded by movies of love stories and Christmas miracles and we can’t help but to be sucked into the vortex of happiness, hope and renewed sense that miracles and dreams do in fact come true. I too, am guilty of getting less work and more movie-watching done…
But how can we focus on the beauty of the season when our reality consists of dividing up our time with the kids and potentially fighting over every little detail of what used to be a special time. There are broken traditions, broken hearts and broken promises perhaps.
Here are my tips for not only getting through the season, but for making the most of it:
1. Take what you get and squeeze the hell out of it!
If you have your kids with you for half the time or some of the time, make the most of what you’ve got. Take the opportunity to spend as much time with them as possible, doing things for the holidays, prepping, cooking, whatever it is that will create special memories for you and your family. Remember that you don’t have to go to elaborate measures to create special memories.
2. Create New Traditions
Don’t look at this as broken traditions, but rather as an opportunity to create new ones. If there was something special that you did as a family, change it up and make it a new tradition. Don’t force it…new traditions form over time, but you have a great chance to re-shape your Holiday into something that you and your family can learn to cherish.
3. Don’t push too hard
If this new family situation is still in the adjustment phase, you don’t want to push too hard to create the “Perfect Holiday”. There’s no such thing. EVER. And, while you may feel more pressure this year to do so, keep in mind that nothing comes naturally when forced. Take things as they come, understand that not all your ideas will be well-received and move on from there. In addition to not putting too much pressure on your kids,