Kid-sized conversation starters for dinners or holiday parties. Solutions for some of the peskiest of problems you may face this time of year. And a few thoughts on skiing and holiday greeting photos. Those are the topics I tackle in articles published in December issues of parenting magazines across North America. Read on to get the scoop.
Of any time of year with little leeway for things to go amiss, this is it. Our calendars are full and the celebrations are on. We hope and expect the best for our families. But what to do when the unexpected happens? Or when we can’t keep up with the usual traditions? Three articles in particular will help you deal with less-than-perfect circumstances:
In the December issue of Durham Parent, learn what experts and moms have to say about handling holidays in the midst of illness – minor, chronic, and even terminal from my article, “When Sickness Comes For a Holiday.”
Planning a road trip to visit family? We hate to think of what it would be like to have an accident while traveling away from home. But trust me (as one who learned the hard way), it’s better to be prepared for what you’ll need to do should it happen. Washington Family features my article, “Road Trip Readiness: Accidents Happen,” offering tips from those who have been there.
Even without such challenges (and sometimes because of them) many of us will face issues surrounding the traditions we keep. If you’re considering making a shift in your holiday observations, check out “Breaking With Tradition, Without Breaking The Family,” in this month’s issue of Ohio Valley Parent. I learned some fun ideas for keeping your sanity and still creating a meaningful celebration from the great people I interviewed.
The extra family time can also be a good chance to catch up not just with those distant relatives, but also the little people who live under your own roof. But if getting more than one-word answers seems impossible, you may want to try out one of the “21 Questions to Jump-Start Conversation” in the December issue of Mobile Bay Parents.
Finally, I dish on what I really think about downhill skiing and why I do it anyway in “Skiing is So Not My Cup of Latte,” published in Montreal Families.
And if you have subscription access to the OC Register, you’ll be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at what goes through my mind as I hunt down a photo for our Christmas card in my essay, “The holiday greeting shot is no snap” for the paper’s parenting column.
That is an impressive array of articles. I will go through & read them all. Some of the titles struck me as so familiar. We have had illness and accidents on holiday. I enjoyed the 21 conversation sparkers. Some days it feels like I need them all and more with my tween and teen.
Thank you, Sue. Let’s hope neither of us needs to use the tips on the sickness and accident pieces this year. It sounds like we’re in the same phase of parenting. Teens & tweens are a whole different ballgame!