During the Christmas season, we often have a lot of extra time with our families.
I find this to be one of the greatest blessings, however, no family is perfect and we can all rub each other raw sometimes… Can you relate?
Personally, I never want to let the special moments of the season be ruined by little misunderstandings or frustrations. I want to be all-in with my boys! This season should be one of joy and excitement!
Here are some tips to make the most of the time with your family this Christmas season:
Cherish the Moment
You can’t get these experiences back so soak them up! Put down the phone, turn off the TV and go make some memories. Bake cookies together, go on a walk through the neighborhood to look at the lights or reconnect with someone that you’ve been putting off.
And don’t expect each moment to be perfect. Let’s be honest – the baby will probably cry at some point or the toddler might accidentally spill the flour all over the kitchen. But, choose to focus on the bigger picture instead! Look for the bright sides and the good moments. What can you be thankful for? What is going well? Don’t get so caught in the imperfections that you miss the fun.
@bethanyhamiltonofficial
Be Cautious of the Little Eyes and Ears Around
There was definitely a moment this year where I was like, “whoa, we need to tone back what we’re saying in front of the kiddos because they’re literally hearing and absorbing everything we say”. If Adam and I are stressed about something and are talking about it, they hear it and become stressed too. We are working on being more cautious and having more boundaries on what we say and do in front of them. They need that protection! I find that this helps the kids be in better moods and then the whole family has a much better day – less meltdowns haha!
Have Grace
Forgive and forgive again. Each one of us is going to mess things up sometimes – we can’t be perfect in every moment. But we have the choice to be gracious, to forgive and not to let it get under our skin. I find that I enjoy my family so much more when I focus on grace and forgiveness instead of constantly thinking about my frustrations with them.
And on the other side of things, when something is our fault, I think it’s really important that we admit our mistakes and quickly make the situation right with whoever we may have hurt. Our kids need to see what it looks like to do that well and setting a good example as parents is so important!
So, don’t get caught in the trap of focusing so much on the imperfections that you don’t enjoy the special family time you have!
It’s a blessing to have the opportunity to make memories with your loved ones. I encourage you to soak up this season with them! ♥️
