Getting in better shape, improving finances, de-cluttering, moving up careerwise- we all have resolutions that we repeat every year. Determined to be successful, we put pressure on ourselves to achieve more, do better, and work harder.
This year, my resolutions are re-focused. Continue reading
Family traditions are all of the special things that families do together on a regular basis- whether it’s daily (always eating dinner together), weekly (Friday night movies and popcorn), monthly (taking our kids on “date nights,” or “super-noches” as we call them), or yearly (driving around to look at Christmas lights). In our hectic lives, routine customs create special memories of your family having a great time together, that your kids will remember and probably pass on to their family.
When we took the many hours of parenting classes required to adopt our two sons, they emphasized the importance of family traditions as a way to strengthen family bonds, teach our new children our family values, and give our kids a sense of identity and security within our family: “The Smith Family always makes pancakes on Sunday mornings” or “The Lin Family plays football together every Thanksgiving” or “The Morales Family always makes a birthday sign for the birthday child.” Repeating and emphasizing that your family does it together, helps families to bond with their child, as they are included in the “we.” In reality, not only adoptive families will benefit from creating special family traditions- all families will enjoy family rituals and become stronger as they incorporate them into their lives. Continue reading
On a quick trip to the supermarket during my first New Year’s Eve in Mexico City, I was puzzled by the enormous bins of red and yellow underwear that crowded the aisles of the stores. In the produce section there were copious amounts of grapes spilling out of crates, and women were grabbing and bagging them as if there would be a grape shortage. Were red undies a hip fashion statement in 1997? Were grapes in season in late December- or maybe it was popular to make wine during the holidays? When we arrived at the huge family dinner later that New Year’s Eve, the traditions were explained and I regretted not picking up some red unmentionables!
