Year End – Family

Family. What to say about family and the year end? Indeed how do you define who your family is? For some of us it is mom, dad and kids, or 2 dads and kids or 2 moms and kids. Or even just a couple with no kids. However you define family there are questions worth considering at the year end.

Have you spent enough time with your family?

That can be open to definition as what you think is “enough time” may not be what your family considers to be “enough”. Still this blog is directed to you and in this case you get to define “enough”. If you haven’t spent as much time with your family as you would have liked, what stopped you?

Was it lack of time, too much work or something else? Is this a pattern you want to continue next year? If not, how are you going to change it?

Is there a family member you are at odds with? Have you had an argument and stopped speaking? There may well be good reasons to avoid family members ( abusive behaviour, addiction, power and control issues) but if you are just being stubborn then it’s time to think about your rift. Are you feeling okay with the distance between you? If not, is there some way you can open up a conversation? What do you have to lose? If the price for peace is too high then acknowledge that to yourself and move on. There is nothing worse than being mad at someone and they don’t know it and even less they may not care. That leaves you carrying a burden for no good reason.

Are you the keeper of the family history?  Is your family information accurate and up to date? Do you put together a family newsletter or even just one of those dreaded Christmas letters? If so, time to get on with it.

The holiday season is a good time to let people know that you care, not necessarily with a big gift, a card or handwritten note will mean a lot.

Family – love them or hate them, we all come from family and many of us build family. At year end is a great time to acknowledge them and make plans for the next year.