Avoiding Holiday Drama with the In-Laws
The holidays are a special time full of magic, friendship, and family. This time together is great when everyone gets along, but for some, family time brings stress and excessive drama. You may be well versed in your family’s personal drama because you grew up with it and accept your relatives as they are, but when you encounter your spouse’s family drama, you aren’t so understanding or accepting. In-law drama causes a majority of marital conflict during the holiday season. I
Is the White House News Making You and Your Relationship Sick?
U.S politics has never been as divisive and labile as it has within recent years. All signs currently suggest that this will continue as impeachment hearings are suggested, stocks plummet, and hate crimes and shootings continue. The instability is felt by most Americans. Emergency room physicians report that national politics has started to impact emotional and physical health. Nearly two out of every five Americans cite politics as their main source of stress, and one in fiv
Have a Family Fun Day Before Sending Children Back to School
August brings the reminder of new beginnings and transitions. Although you may be feeling lethargic from the heat and still cleaning sand left over from June and July’s vacations, your children are very aware their life is about to change. Transitions are a challenge no matter what age you are; getting up earlier, completing homework, and getting back into a routine is something many families struggle with the week before school. Since school hasn’t started yet, there is stil
Has texting replaced conversation in your home?
According to a new Pew Research Center survey, almost one third of families living together use texting in lieu of conversing face-to-face. Texting has become the easy, convenient way to communicate between partners and family members. The statistic was higher when families had children. When asked why, most of the respondents agreed that phones are always with you, they reduce yelling at each other, and are more convenient. In one third of the homes, smart phones were being
Suffering from holiday burnout? You’re not alone.
One in three Americans are suffering from what experts have coined “Festive Holiday Burnout.” A recent study surveyed 2,000 Americans, and 68% said they see Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas as high stress times. One third of those surveyed said they burned out before Christmas comes. The survey also revealed that most stress comes from the crowds and shopping. Compound this with excessive baking, shipping, decorating, and hosting, and you have the perfect recipe for irr
Couples’ Survival Tips for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of the greatest holidays in the year. All you have to do is come together with family and friends, eat, share, and give thanks. Sometimes, though, the gathering of friends and family is stressful for couples. Meeting family expectations without neglecting or ignoring your partner can be difficult. Below are tips to help you and your partner feel supported and appreciated. If you’re traveling, keep the mood light. Depending on whose family you’re visiting,
Preventing and Healing Family Estrangement
The majority of people know of at least one or two people who are estranged from their family. It’s painful for all parties involved and difficult to resolve. Many things lead to estrangement; disagreements about values, divorce, violence, substance abuse, mental illness, personality disorders that were unknown, and betrayal. For the most part, affected families suffer in silence, feeling embarrassed about their loved one’s estrangement or rejection from their family. The rej
Sharing Your New Love with Family at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and most of us look forward to seeing family and sharing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In most families, there is always a “special uncle” you can count on to be the same. You can predict with perfection who will cause drama at the table and the sensitive topics that will be brought up. It’s fine if it’s just you, but what happens when you bring home a new love? Should you tell them in advance about what to expect? Will they be ab
Red Flags of a Teen in Trouble and How Parents Can Help
With our hearts breaking as we watch the unbearable news about another teen shooting in a school close to home, we ask the same question. Why? What is happening that another teen deliberately makes a plan, posts it on social media, and methodically kills anyone in his destructive path? Why didn’t parents step in sooner and try to intervene to prevent this tragedy? Can we prevent it? Or do we have to become accustomed to school being a dangerous place? Mental health experts, a
What Mom Really Wants for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a day moms look forward to and dad’s dread. What do you give the woman who spends her entire life giving to her kids and family? How do you make mom feel special? Mom’s aren’t always honest when it comes to telling their partners what they want most, and they lovingly accept breakfast in bed (with spills), pictures to hang on the fridge, coffee cups, candles, and cards. After all, commercials everywhere promote these as being what mom really wants. This year,