The holidays are a time of family togetherness. Having a positive relationship with your child allows for many things. It allows you to be an influence in your child’s life, encourage better communication, make conversations more open and honest, and diminish power struggles when discipline occurs. That all sounds great, but you’re probably wondering, “How can this be achieved?” It’s easy, and the best part about it is you can have a little fun while doing it.
Having fun with your child can be as brief as a few minutes or as long as all day. The key is to try to make it a regular part of your relationship with your child. Think, “everyday a little play.” This is especially important during times of holiday pressures because having fun is a positive way to combat stress.
Here is a list of ways you can have fun with your child during the holiday season:
· Design holiday cards as a family
· Stuff stockings for women and children’s shelters
· Bake cookies together for family, friends, coworkers or neighbors
· Play holiday themed board games
· Drive around your neighborhood to look at holiday lights and decorations
If you are a parent who is interested in exploring strategies to improve communication, ways to build essential character traits, and methods of effective discipline that can short-circuit power struggles, contact us at DrugFreeAZKids.org to register for one of our free Active Parenting workshops.
