What I Learned About The Holidays From The Secret Moms Club
Family Rhythms & ParentingIntentional Living & Goal Setting

What I Learned About The Holidays From The Secret Moms Club

Kerry Stutzman
There's a secret club of moms who have learned all sorts of important things about surviving the holiday season with their sanity intact — and they are not sharing their wisdom with the masses! I am making it my mission to track them down, spy on their meetings and disseminate any valuable information I can gather.
At the Secret Moms Club meeting in early December, I gathered juicy tidbit #127 that they were planning to keep secret but here it is: We don't have to do every cool tradition every single year. We actually have the right to check in with ourselves, do what holiday activities we can do with a full heart, and prioritize sanity and balance over having a "perfectly perfect" holiday season.
I'm not sending out cards this year. Pretty much everyone on my list is a Facebook friend so it's not like this is their only chance to see that my kids tower over me and have started to resemble men. If I feel like doing it next year, I will. We have festive lights outside and a tree and decorations inside. But I didn't go the extra mile with details inside. I'm 100% certain that I'm the only one who notices and I'm not telling. I AM into making hot fudge sauce for our neighbors because I gave myself permission to skip it the past two years. My kids will still think of it as a tradition they grew up with. Basically, the things that feel like a drag aren't getting done. The holiday traditions that mean something and bring joy — I'm doing.
I have dreaded December and its overwhelming to-do lists for many of my mothering years. I wasn't a Scrooge about it but I ran on empty and prioritized accomplishment over balance. This year after listening in on the Secret Moms Club, I have made time for some extra yoga classes. I've gotten enough sleep several nights each week. I am enjoying myself more than Christmases past. Granted, I still have 6 kids and many "specials" to shop for and cookies to bake and we are having out of town guests and hosting Christmas Eve dinner. But the freedom of giving myself permission to only do what I can do with a happy heart? THAT keeps my HO! HO! HO! alive and well!
If you're looking for more practical ideas on making it through December without completely losing yourself, these 8 tips for surviving the holidays as a parent are worth bookmarking.
Wishing you a December where what you value and how you spend your time are in synch.
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