Giving Your Children Coal For Christmas

The holidays should be the best time of year for children, no matter what.  Especially when they have two parents who love them passionately.  But love isn't always enough.  For children whose parents are divorced or separatd, the best gift they can give their children isn't presents, it is setting aside self-interest.  It is taking their children out of the middle of their personal animosity.  But too many parents can't seem to do that. Keep in mind I am not talking about a parent who poses a genuine threat to a child .  I'm talking about parents who use their kids to keep the battle with the other parent going at all costs.  They give their kids coal for,Christmas every year.  Here's what I see far too often:

(1) Parents who refuse to allow their children to see or speak to the other parent;

(2) Parents who gleefully allow other family members to disparage the other parent in the child's hearing at family gatherings;

(3) Parents who throw away the gifts sent by the other parent;

(4) Parents who have competitions for who can give the better gift;

(5) Parents who try to shield their children from difficulty (at the holidays and throughout the year) instead of teaching them that difficulty is a fact of life, and show them how to deal with it;

(6) Parents who give their  children every single gift on lists that grow longer (and more expensive) each year instead of adhering to the rule: one thing they want, one thing they need, one thing to wear and one thing to read);

The list goes on . . . and on.  Don't do this to your child.  Give them the best gift:  peace.