All tagged Family

Creating Meaningful Family Rituals and Traditions

Creating Meaningful Family Rituals and Traditions

Rachel Parris
Parenting

Welcoming a new baby into your family is a time of change and transformation. Because things are already shifting, it’s also a time that lends itself well to updating your rituals and traditions around the holidays.

There are many reasons we hold onto old rituals and traditions (you love them, social conditioning, passive aggressive family shenanigans, obligation) but it never hurts to take stock and see if what you’ve always done is still working for you now.

(Bonus, if your family or friends get weird about it, you can blame the baby. 😏)

Here are five questions to consider for building the type of holiday time that serves you and your family:

The Practice of Practice

The Practice of Practice

Rachel Parris
Parenting

As a recovering perfectionist, I have spent most of my life avoiding trying new things. Basically, the math in my head went something like this:

  • I receive love when I am perfect (when I am perfectly behaved, when I follow the rules, when I get 100% on a test or project, etc)

  • Therefore when I am not perfect, I am not worthy of love

  • Well, that’s terrifying

  • I can’t risk not receiving love

  • Therefore I will only do things that I know I can do perfectly

  • NO NEW THINGS!

Our culture values striving for excellence, which usually turns into striving for perfection – on the surface, this seems really admirable. Why shouldn’t you always try to be perfect at what you do?

Relationships Are Hard

Relationships Are Hard

Rachel Parris
Relationships

Welcoming a new baby into your family is an exciting and joyous occasion and it also puts significant strain on even the most rock solid relationship. Drs. John and Julie Gottman discovered that “67% of couples had become very unhappy with each other during the first three years of their baby’s life. Only 33% remained content.” (source >>)