The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has just passed us. And for a lot of us, that meant added stress. Not only to find the perfect gifts or to get the coveted family photos for our holiday cards, but also to try to squeeze in every activity we could with our kids. Meanwhile, we were trying to maintain our own sanity, remembering to move the Elf, and striving to be the magic makers.
For traditional families, every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be dedicated to visits to the Christmas tree farm, trips to see Santa, and driving around town looking at lights. Then, there are those of us who don’t get every weekend. We get every other weekend, or some other variation of a custody schedule. So we stare at our calendars, trying to squeeze in community events, family get-togethers, and holiday traditions. If you want to add another layer of fun to the mental gymnastics of calendar coordination, throw a non-traditional work schedule into the mix.
If I have learned anything during my last six years of watching and participating in coparenting, it’s that dates on a calendar are just that. Dates on a calendar. We may not always get to celebrate birthdays or holidays with our children and stepchildren on that specific day, and that’s okay. Our children just care that they get to celebrate with us. They don’t care whether we post our Christmas celebration photos on social media to show how “normal” we are. They care that Santa came at all. Children keep things simple. As adults, parents, and coparents, we tend to complicate things.
During the holiday season, and anytime really, I encourage you to look past the dates on the calendar. Put your tree up early if that is the time you have available. Celebrate Christmas when your schedule allows if you don’t have the holiday that year. Adapt to what makes sense for your family. Don’t compare your family and your family’s holiday schedule to others. We are all dynamic, with different priorities and work schedules, especially during the holiday season. Take the time to enjoy the season with your family, on whatever days work for you.
