Winter is a quiet time for reflection; it allows us to see the things that need to be fixed.a No, I am not referring to that cabinet door in the kitchen or the leaky faucet in the bathroom. According to a recent survey, the average family spends only 34 minutes together on weekdays. If you are surprised to find your own family fits into this statistic, there is no need to panic. Like fresh fallen snow, winter gives us a chance at new beginnings. Take advantage of winter’s slower pace to reconnect with each other. If inspiration is needed, read on for 12 ideas:
When Holly Stewart visited Victoria, BC with her parents, husband, and young son Henry, she’d planned museum trips, sightseeing, and restaurant meals. Not on the agenda? Embarrassing public meltdowns. But during a visit to the Royal British Columbia Museum, that’s just what happened. At a hands-on gold panning demonstration on the museum’s third floor, four-year-old Henry found and promptly lost a small piece of gold, and then lost his cool.
I am glad my step-dad never tried to be a father to me, so we didn’t have to get into any power struggles. He became an adult friend and mentor. He was generous with his time. He listened a lot, and gave love freely,” shares Dave from the group. In this group, divorced or separating parents learn communication and parenting strategies.
Clothes having to match. Toys arranged in neat rows. Outbursts over not being able to get a task right the first time. These behaviors can indicate to parents that they may have a perfectionist on their hands, for better or for worse. Perfectionists have high standards. Perfectionists can be driven to achieve. But they can also get tied up in knots over their expectations of themselves. And as psychologist Madeline Levine suggests in her book, Teach Your Children Well, performance-oriented children “are so afraid of failing that they challenge themselves far less, take fewer risks, and therefore limit opportunities for growth.”
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