Tag Archives: Chanukah

Celebrating holidays with your adult children

In these times of stress, fear and uncertainty, we turn to family and friends for comfort – and to time-tested rituals for feelings of security. Particularly in this holiday season, many will come together to honor customs and gain a sense of stability. Yet as families grow and change, so do holiday celebrations. Now that Hanukkah is here, relatives are gathering in various constellations across the country. For some, the family is smaller as older parents become infirm and adult children move away. For others, relatives travel across the country … Continue reading

Posted in adult children, extended family, parenting kids, your self | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Celebrating holidays with your adult children

Shared Joy

This year the last day of Chanukah falls on Christmas Eve, reminding us of the unique connection many inter-faith families share. And for those of us who observe only one of the holidays, it’s nice to see how our friends are enjoying their special parties. Getting together with family enhances the combination of fun, warmth, good food and beautiful decorations – whatever event you’re celebrating. And studies have shown that when families join together to practice their customs and rituals, there’s a positive effect on the children. They’re more likely … Continue reading

Posted in extended family, parenting kids, well-being, your self | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Avoiding Holiday Family Meltdowns

With the holidays just around the corner – Chanukah begins next week, Christmas and Kwanzaa the week after – are you planning to spend some time celebrating with relatives? Now is the time to take a look at your family dynamics and plan ahead to avoid a meltdown during your get together. Often present-day arguments reflect childhood conflicts over power, competition or favoritism. In today’s environment, politics, too, can cause a serious disruption in family harmony. If your family has a history of dwelling on unfinished business or expressions of … Continue reading

Posted in adult children, extended family, stress, well-being, your self | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Thanksgivukkah

By now you’ve likely heard about Thanksgivukkah, the dual celebration of Thanksgiving and Chanukah which occurs today for the first time since 1888 and the last time for more than 70,000 more years. People have been talking about making sweet potato latkes, cranberry applesauce or even deep-frying a turkey stuffed with potato pancakes. The two holidays also come together over some shared core values – giving thanks for connections with family and friends, a celebration of religious freedom, achieving a goal through dedication and joint efforts. But for some families … Continue reading

Posted in well-being, your self | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment