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Another COVID Holiday

I’m tired of all the whining. Not my seven-year-old who whines every time I ask him to pick up the hundreds of Pokémon cards that litter my living room floor, and not my five-year-old who whines about having to wear pants again because it’s too cold for shorts. No, I’m tired of all the parents who continuously whine about how COVID restrictions are “taking the joy out of our kids’ lives”.

It started with how kids couldn’t gather in large groups for Easter egg hunts, they missed out on Canada Day fireworks, Thanksgiving with their families, Halloween without trick-or-treating, and now we’ll be ripping their Christmas away. I’ve read far too many posts, blogs and even reputable news sources littered with whimpering parents who are fighting for the rights of their children to continue to have their traditionally excessive and exuberant versions of the holidays. And, of course, their children are suffering in not-so-silent ways. What did you expect from all this drama? After all, whiney parents only beget whiney children.

I understand where some of it is coming from. We’re all suffering from a bit of COVID crazy and we’re all experience varying levels of COVID fatigue. I’m getting tired of the masks, the floods of emails, the neck-breaking news bulletins, the ever-changing restrictions, and especially not being able to hug others. But for the sake of our children’s mental well-being, we need to just stop with the public displays of whining!

Simpler holidays

What I enjoy seeing are all the simpler and imaginative ways that many parents are choosing to celebrate the holidays this year. Neighbourhood window Easter egg or shamrock hunts, Canada Day driveway fireworks, Halloween physically-distant parades, and countless creative home celebrations, crafts and decorations. We’re taking the time to make it truly special for our kids and that is how we need to spend our energy.

Our kids depend on us – not the health unit – to make our holidays fun and memorable. They depend on us to measure on how they should be feeling about the world around them each day. Personally, I am enjoying the simpler, less complicated versions of the holidays. The time I’d spend stressing with several to-do lists is now replaced with real connections with my kids, experiences that we share together, and I feel myself more present. 

So this coming holiday season, choose to be more creative, try to see the positive in our strange new circumstances, and focus your efforts on making it the very BEST Christmas for your family!

Frank Emanuele is a proud father of two boys, a special education teacher, and a director of Dad Club London.

 

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