As a child my parents passed on some great traditions and I fondly remember New Years and all the fun we had as a young family. Traditions are a big part of childhood. Read my last Christmas article about traditions, then think of Tevye singing his wonderful, heartfelt rendition of Tradition. You have to begin making them for your kids NOW!
Seasons come and go and the season I see now is with young and impressionable children at my side. I want to set the tone for them now! I want them to understand that New Year's Eve is not just a party night, but something much more. Much, much more!
We used to sit around the fireplace eating our New Year's Eve dinner as a picnic and each of us children would tell one of the neatest things that happened to us that year and why we thought it was so neat! Of course, half of them I can't remember now in my old age, but I do remember the image of sitting around that tablecloth on the floor and singing Auld Lang Syne, as best we knew it or mumbling the words at least.
It's also very good for younger children to understand what different cultures do during different holidays. This article is wonderful with younger aged children! Some of the activities are really fun to do in a group setting!
As a family on the Eve of the New Year, play games together, talk together, make goals together. Think of certain things that you want to accomplish as a family. Plan a family vacation, but have the whole family involved in the discussion. Even a little four-year-old can give some fun ideas of what they'd love to do and it can make them feel like someone is really listening to them. My nine-year-old will voice her opinion and we'll all talk about it. Even if we end up not doing her idea, she at least felt like she was part of the conversation. Setting goals as a family can be very fun if not downright laughable. I think the children help us adults see where our priorities should be and where we might fall short of some things. Listen to your children (maybe that's a goal by itself for you). Family time might be another goal you could have. It's amazing how family time can really unite the entire family. The American nation as well as others need strong families these days. Our children have no leadership to look to. All they have are us as parents. Are we providing that leadership for them? Are we helping/leading them along in spite of the world? That might be a goal we could all work on.
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