Five Tips to Plan for Christmas

Where to Find A Counselor

Every year Christmas seems to sneak up on thousands of people.  It comes out of nowhere and leaves us blind sighted by the hundreds of dollars we spend without planning.  Well, this year Christmas can be different.  This year it won’t sneak up on you.  This year you will be prepared because you will have planned for Christmas...in July!  Follow the tips below to get you started on your Christmas planning and avoid the need to spend your holiday shopping money on Indianapolis marriage counseling services.

Tip One: Recognize when Christmas is two and a half months away.

That may seem like a lot, but you will need all of that time to carefully plan for Christmas.  Begin by writing down the ways you need to plan for Christmas.  Most families need to plan financially.  Some families need to plan emotionally (spending large amounts of time with extended family, in-laws, and other relatives can be difficult).  And other families need to plan physically if travel is involved.  What ways does your family need to plan for Christmas?

Tip Two: Make a Christmas budget.

Talk with your spouse about your budget for Christmas.  Decide how you want to pay for gifts, food, decorations, trees, and any other Christmas related expense.  Make a list of your expenses and estimate the cost of Christmas this year.  Do you need new decorations?  Are you buying a new tree?  Do you need to buy presents for your kids’ teachers?  Are you making a large Christmas meal at your house?  Is there travel involved (gas, airfare).  Who do you need to buy or make presents for?  Gather all the information you know and write it down.

Tip Three: Begin saving.

Saving a small amount of money each week or each month before Christmas can leave you with a mighty sum of money when you begin buying presents or decorating your home.  After you have created your budget, estimate how much you will need to save each week or month to generate your estimated Christmas costs.  Is this realistic?  Do you need to cut back?  Begin saving, even if you need to eliminate expenses from your budget.  Be realistic about Christmas expenses.  Christmas leaves as quickly as it comes, but you don’t want to be left with outrages bills that you can’t afford.

Tip Four: Involve your kids.

Ask your kids to begin making a Christmas wish list.  This will help you gather information about their desires and how much it will cost you.  If your child wants multiple expensive items, ask your child to pick out the favorite.  Talk to your kids about planning for Christmas and explain to them that you are planning ahead in order to stay financially stable.  Ask them to do the same.  Your kids can begin saving their allowance or money from a job to buy their friends Christmas presents.

Tip Five: Reevaluate your progress each month.

Readjust your budget if needed.  Cut back where necessary and remind yourself that planning and being financially aware are for your own good.  You will thank yourself the day after Christmas and on the days your kids stop playing with the toys they just “had to have.”

Kristie Watts, M.A.


Kristie is passionate about relational health, personal growth, and empowerment of individuals, couples, and families.  Her desire is to reach couples, families, and individuals in the Indianapolis, IN area through the writing and practice of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Indiana Family Therapy

Potty Training and You

Potty training can be a daunting experience for any parent (and child) and can result in a lot of stress in the home.  But does it have to get bad enough to pursue family counseling Indianapolis? There are so many differing opinions and ways to get the job done. Many parents eagerly anticipate it as a milestone in their child's development. However, few moms and dads are prepared for how long toilet training can take. Some children master it within a few days, but others can take several months. It's generally true that the earlier you start the longer it takes. There is a better chance of success if parents understand the elements of training including when to start, how to handle accidents and how to keep the momentum. Here are the basic steps for toilet training.

The first is to watch for signs that your child is ready to start. Ask yourself, can she follow simple instructions? Can he walk and sit down? Try not to rush as this will be counterproductive. If there are any major changes or turmoil in their life the potty-training experience is likely to hit some snags. You, or your child's primary caregiver, should be able to devote time and patience to the process.

Once you have decided it is the right time to start the toilet training process you will want to create a routine. Start by getting your child used to the potty chair and accepting it as part of their routine. This can be started having them sit on it once a day fully clothed at the same time in their routine each day. Follow that with sitting on the potty bare-bottomed and explaining that this is what Mommy and Daddy and any older siblings do when they go potty. Don't push this is it appears to upset them. Never restrain or physically force them to sit there.

Setbacks, or "accidents", are experienced by virtually every child several times before being able to stay dry all day long. Your attitude and actions will influence her future success. There are a few steps to help to reduce the chance of accidents, such as dressing them in clothes that are easy to remove quickly. Remember not to get angry or punish your child and that mastering the process will take time.

Some toddlers may have trouble sitting still long enough for anything to happen. It may be helpful for you to sit with them for company or to read them a book. Let her run around bare-bottomed sometimes with the potty nearby, if possible. She is likely to learn faster if she is able to spend more time out of diapers. Don't forget to shower her with praise when she uses the potty successfully.

You child will best learn this new skill when she is mentally and physically ready to. If you wait until she is really ready to start, the process shouldn't be too painful for either of you. Reinforce her pride in her achievement by letting her give away leftover diapers to a family with younger kids or by packing up the cloth diapers and sending they away with the diaper delivery service one last time. Give yourself a pat on the back for the training you just assisted in. Now you won't have to think about diapers again, unless another baby is in the future!

 

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