Sharing on the Holidays
October 12th 2008 16:53
Because we’re a blended family in every way imaginable, we have to share the children on every other holiday. This is difficult because, of course, we want the house filled with the celebratory laughter and conversation from the entire family on the holidays . . . we don’t want to send them in so many different directions:
My boys will go with their father.
My stepdaughter will go with her mother.
My nephew will go with either one of his parents or his grandparents.
My fiancé and I have made plans to go away on Thanksgiving to reconnect and have a mini-holiday vacation at his sister’s camp (if no one else is using it, that is). We need to get away because it’s been a flurry of working schedules, schedules for the kids, sports schedules, side work schedules, and “can you do this for me” favors on the weekends. It’s been SO busy that, when the dust settles here, it’s immediately stirred up by something else that comes along.
So, rather than thinking about how much we’d love to celebrate with our children, we’re going to take a few moments to ourselves and breath, taste some delicious food, relax, and just BE. We’re not going to run here, there, and everywhere . . . because that’s what we do every single week of every single month. We’re not going to conform our holiday around what others believe would be the best way for us to spend our time. We’re taking OUR time BACK and celebrating our way.
Next year, things will feel normal again. I’ll be cooking for all of us, we’ll be sharing time with each other, and we’ll be inviting people to share in these moments with us. We won’t feel like something is missing, nor will we be sending our children in so many different directions. That’s one of the toughest things for me while being part of this blended family. While I welcome the break sometimes, I would really rather everyone be home . . . it just feels right.
Do you have a blended family? If so, how do you handle it when the children are sent off during the holidays?
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