Yep, it’s a different kind of year. We’re all a little tired of saying that to our kids. We know the stress of dealing with covid’s effects in our regular life has been hard, but now we get to add in the stress of the holidays and suddenly we’re in overload! Usually we celebrate with tons of family traditions and meals but this year may need to be a little different. Maybe you’re unable to travel to see special relatives or friends, and maybe there’s a little disappointment with a change in traditional plans.

If your joy is getting a little lost in the stress of canceled plans, it can be hard to keep a good attitude about something new. Helping your kids think about ways to be kind and generous to others can make this year’s changes easier to handle. See if any of these might work with your family:

• building photo albums for friends you won’t be able to see this year,
• cooking and swapping dishes with nearby family members,
• let your child pick a charity your family can give to,
• write letters to the family members you won’t be able to celebrate with in person.

Any of these ideas helps keep this season special and helps our kids realize that change doesn’t mean bad … just different. And who knows, you may just stumble on a new tradition!