Four Thanksgiving Stress Busters:
#3: Start a Thanksgiving Tradition

Tuesday November 20, 2007

It's so easy to focus only on the negatives of big special occasions for children with special needs. And goodness knows, there are a lot of negatives. But while you may need to put most your energy into keeping your child safe and calm and out of other people's hair, save a little bit of it for making positive memories, your own small family traditions.

Traditions don't have to be big and impressive. They don't have to involve fancy clothes or traditional meals. They can be as small as reading a special Thanksgiving book with your child each year. Putting up cherished art projects your child has made at school. Letting your child help with the shopping or the cooking. Finding a way to let your child into the process of gathering with family to give thanks, instead of protecting him from it.

"Start a Thanksgiving Tradition" offers ideas for decorating together, planning together, cooking together, hosting together, and relaxing together. See if you can find something that works for you and your family. Or share the traditions you're already following in the comments.

More Thanksgiving Stress Busters:

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