Don't Let the Blues Get You Down
Turn Sad Feelings Into a Giving Spirit

Post holiday blues often set in after the big rush is over. Now that the December rush is over and all of the relatives went home, you might feel a bit of a let down. Perhaps you will find you have too much time on your hands. Even your children may be restless and full of pent up energy, since the days are shortened and they can't play outside as late as they might like to. This is when you can really get their attention and teach them that the Christmas spirit doesn't have to end in December.

Art of Giving
The concept of giving is a non-ending concept intended to be enjoyable and rewarding for two people, the giver and the receiver. It never hurts a child to learn the act of giving and how gratifying it might be. So, make January the month of family unity as you hold a family meeting to pick a charity or project that all might agree on. Then design a small project or event that you can use to make others happy, it really isn't hard to do.

For instance, you might design a special craft project and visit a senior center or retirement home and share your gifts with others who are shut in. Or, perhaps you might start a special toy collection to be gathered for a crisis center or shelter for troubled run away teens. Then again, you may wish to visit a soup kitchen and volunteer your services for a day a week. After all, the elderly, homeless, and children in crisis are feeling the same post holiday blues as you might feel. You may have noticed that if you approach others with a smile, you usually receive a smile back. Perhaps you feel all you have to offer is your own good will and cheer, then fine, by all means get that smile circulating.

Redirect Energy
So instead of scolding the children for getting too rambunctious with pent up energy in the home, redirect that energy into a constructive activity that will be doubly rewarding. If you have any hesitation, stop for a minute, and think about all the good things that could come from such an undertaking. For example:

1. You and your children get to spend quality time interacting as you make the craft or plan the event.
2. If all family members become involved, it can stimulate a new sense of closeness between all.
3. You all might find it totally refreshing to watch another less fortunate adult or child suddenly break into a smile, knowing that you took the time to spend with them.
4. Your child will gain a sense of productiveness and purpose, which is a necessary experience to learn initiative and self-worth.
5. Your child will learn not to take his or her own lifestyle for granted as others may not be so fortunate.
6. You will set a wonderful example for your child about the gift of giving, about how rewarding it is to touch another person's life in a positive manner.

What is that you say? No time. No spare money. No patience. Well sorry; it is amazing at how resourceful you can be if you really tried. Okay, so the project or event doesn't have to be grandiose. Maybe you can simply organize a clothes collection in the neighborhood, or joint tag sale to raise money for a charity. In fact, I'll bet you don't have to look very far to find a family in need, one that might really benefit from your good cheer. Surely, there is some talent, skill or hobby you have that others do not. Perhaps you can give a demonstration on how to cook that special recipe grandma left you or you sing a special hymn or enlightening song.

A New Family Tradition
Another way to approach this is that each week one member of the family gets to pick the project, event, or charity to visit, all the while, the other family members have to chip in and help thus they learn what is important to another family member. Any attention at all is sometimes the only five minutes of attention that a less fortunate person might get. So while, you may belief you are not giving anything grand, you may be unexpectedly surprised.

To the otherwise lonely elderly person or the otherwise neglected and sad child, the five minutes that you give them may be the only five minutes of attention received in a long time. All the while, you have a new experience to share with your own children, one you enjoy doing and one that teaches your children how to think of others in a giving way.

At a time of stressful concern for the welfare of our country, there is no shortage of need of enlightening events. Do your children like to put on a talent show, a puppet show, or sing a solo song? Well, go ahead and present it to others, it doesn't have to be perfect, simply entertaining. After all, the main idea here is to share time and space of others around us. Besides, in keeping with the lessons of karma, what goes round comes round! So, you can figure the math, the more you give the more you get. It is a win, win situation. May your crafts be bountiful and your family members involved.

Happy January.