ABCs of a Sizzler Christmas

A is for always….no, make that never assume you’ve got your Sizzler all figured out. If you do, God will smile wide and send you tomorrow.

B is for Blast off, words to be feared in any season, and usually followed by a frightening thud, clunk or shattering sound.  For more details, see letter I.

C is for change which should be embraced. Nothing will ever be consistent with your Sizzler, even more so during the hectic holiday season.  Constant change will be your steadfast companion for years to come. Hug it now. Make friends. Buy it candy.

D is for don’t.  Don’t call any friend who has yet to bear children if you. . . 

Advertisement

Dysfunctional Family BINGO

I was reading a great article about how to survive the craziest of your family members at the next family gathering. It involves creating a game, which I’ll explain in detail in a moment. But as I read it, it almost instantly occured to me that, with a minor alteration, this could be an AMAZING game for helping the easily overwhelmed child to not only cope, but have fun at the frenzied family event to come. Here’s the initial version of the game.

You create a couple of BINGO cards with items that are likely to occur at your event–things like Aunt Tilly will complain that the stuffing is too dry, Crystal will show off her naval piercing, and

Driveway Delight

I was driving down the same winding road from my house that I always take. Clearly, the school bus was due to come along at any minute because at practically every third driveway there was a parent and child, standing, waiting, watching, perhaps talking. But not much else. I continued around another blind curve. There I’d see another child-parent pair looking like statues. Another curve. Another pair.

Then. . .I went round one more curve

Put Norman Rockwell Away

The holidays are coming. Are you excited? Full of anticipation? Or terrified.

For many typical families the holidays are simply a great change of routine.
They look forward to the many things that will be different during this season– a break with the daily standard.
But that very change of routine, along with odd hours, different foods, different sounds, different activities– these are the things that can unravel a Sizzler.

But take heart, there are two MAJOR things you can do to prepare both you and your child for the energy filled season that is to come.

Suspect Words from Your Doctor

My youngest Sizzler is sick. We’ve been running back and forth to medical offices quite a bit of late, and we’ll be going to the hospital for a fairly serious test tomorrow.  It’s not a concern in the life-and-death category, but neither is it a mere cold.  It’s a semi-major concern that will probably be with us for many months to come. 

Why am I telling you this?  Because in the midst of all this medically related busyness I had a profound moment of Deja vu. 
And THAT is the thing about which I am writing to you today. 

As my little fireball was overcome with high fevers, pounding headaches and other debilitating symptoms, she slowed a bit from her usual level of high energy. To the loving and familiar parental eye, she was clearly a shadow of her former boisterous self.  But to the stranger’s eye, that of a doctor, she didn’t display near the level of lethargy that a typical child might show under similar conditions. 

And that’s when I heard it.
The words that were a shock wave from 13 years ago.
The doctor said with a shrug…

Knowing When to Shut Up

My son recently returned from a weekend camping retreat with several other teens his age.  With sleepy and tired speech he informed me that he’d had a great time and that nothing had gone wrong (always in my line up of questions).  A short time later I phoned the gentleman who had been driver/counselor for the group over the weekend and asked him how things went, specifically for my son.  He gave rather lukewarm comments and I knew that something wasn’t right.  I pressed him a bit, fearing something dreadful.  In the end he confessed that while nothing dreadful had occurred, my son did need to learn the “fine art of knowing when to shut up.”  I probably should have been upset in some way, but in truth I just laughed.  I know he’s right.  I know my son has…