An Important Reminder for Parents in Blended Families During the Holidays

Hey dad, hey mom. We see you.

Around the holidays, being a parent in a blended family can be hard:

— You don't have your kids with you on actual Christmas Day, and the house feels too quiet. You grieve that.

— Your bonus kids are caught up in loyalty binds, making it hard for them to fully enjoy time with you. Perhaps their parent at the other house makes them feel guilty or punishes them if they have fun with you. (Love your kids anyway, because LOVE WINS.)

— Your family traditions might clash with your spouse's, leaving everyone feeling a bit out of place.

— Someone inevitably feels left out or overlooked, no matter how hard you try to balance everyone's needs.

— You may feel pressure to create a "perfect" holiday to make up for what your kids or bonus kids may be missing from their other parent’s household.

— There are constant reminders of the way things used to be, which can stir up feelings of sadness, guilt, or even anger.

— Miscommunication with your ex or your partner's ex can lead to stress and frustration that hangs over the whole season.

— You sometimes forget to take care of yourself in the middle of trying to make everything special for everyone else... and you feel resentful.

Despite all of these challenges (it's a LOT) blended family holidays can also be full of a lotta love and making new traditions. The latter is what we choose to focus on, and this year we've added a few new traditions with our kids!

It’s okay to feel the hard moments, but don’t lose sight of the beautiful ones too.

It helps to focus on what you can create, NOT on what's out of your control... and please remember to practice plenty of self care.