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I once noted in
a poll taken by the Southam News that 92% of respondents believe Canadian
parents today are under more financial and emotional stress than post-war
families of 60 years ago. The results of the poll indicated that many
Canadians are suffering from chronic emotional health problems because of
the pressure on families today.
When asked to identify the causes of the stress, respondents
indicated that parents are working too hard, too long for too little
money; there is a severe lack of job security; there is excessive
taxation; many are facing child-rearing problems; and there are a large
percentage of families dealing with divorce and marriage breakdowns. It is
easy to come to the conclusion that family life is in crisis.
It is a fact of life that no family escapes from the stress of
everyday life. But most will agree that at no time in the year is the
stress upon families and individuals greater than it is during the
Christmas holiday season.
As much as people may look forward to Christmas, and even though it
is a time for people to get together and visit with friends and relatives,
few will argue that Christmas is also one of the most hectic,
stress-filled times of the year. If you disagree, just look at the people
you come across over the next several days and see how many “happy”
faces you can find.
If you are going to make it through another holiday rush, you must
develop strong survival techniques which will control your stress level
and allow you to enjoy the beautiful moments of the season. In other
words, you must become a calming influence in the middle of a stressful
storm of commotion.
The most important thing you must do is convince yourself that it
is absolutely useless to get upset about things that are beyond your
control. You can’t always get your own way, no matter how much you
complain or wish you could change things. If you must go shopping between
now and Christmas, don’t complain about the crowds, the traffic, the
high prices, the rudeness or the chaos of life. When you are the tenth
person in line at the check-out counter, accept the fact that this is the
way it is and nothing you can do will change it. Once you surrender to
this actuality you will find a strange sense of peace take over your body.
Take the little things that happen every day in stride and accept
them for what they are - simply life happening. Next time one of your
children accidentally knocks over one of your favourite glasses causing it
to break on the floor, don’t get all upset and rant and rave about the
carelessness of today’s youth. Accept it for what it is - a moment of
life that includes a broken glass. Use it to show your child how to
carefully pick up the pieces and dispose of them so as not to endanger
anyone else. Show the child how to get every last little sliver off the
floor. And while you are doing it, think about how many times in your own
life you accidentally broke items around the house. It may actually be
hard to hide your smile. When it is all over, give your child a hug and
remind him or her to be more careful next time.
If you can change your reactions to negative events so that your
response reflects a calm and peaceful acceptance, you will discover that
the solutions to these negative moments are readily at hand. And even in
the midst of the chaos of Christmas holidays, you will be amazed at how
much easier your life will become. Start today! Stop the negativity before
it has a chance to spiral out of control. Make Christmas 2006 a truly
peaceful time in your family. |
