– Christmas decorations All the children want to get involved, but how much do you let them take part where it really matters? My name's Richard Shorter
I'm a Non-Perfect Dad and in this Christmas week, I'm inviting you and myself to be courageously honest about our parenting (upbeat, vibrant music) So, less than a week to go 'til Christmas How are you feeling about it? Are you excited? I hope all your decorations are up In our house this week, we put the decorations up This is a homemade Christmas tree which to my shock and surprise when I offered our children a real one this year they said no they want a homemade one
Hmm, that's a bit of a result So my parenting success and fail this week is all about the Christmas decorations and how I let them going up take, happen That didn't make much sense, did it? Let me say that again This week's fail and successes is all about the Christmas decorations and how I managed that situation It was Saturday afternoon, Alison and the kids were out and Caleb, our son, offered to put the Christmas decorations up
He offered to decorate this tree And as you can see, I think he did a reasonable job at it, and not only that, is he did it differently to the way that we've done it in previous years and actually, I think it's better My successes here was having the courage to kind of take a hands off approach and to allow our 13 year old, nearly 13 year old, to take control of part of the decorations My fail was that I let him do it when his sisters weren't around He thought it would be a nice surprise for his sisters and his mom to come home and find our two trees decorated in the house
We have this one, which we try and keep kinda simple, and then we have another tree that sits at the bottom of the stairs, a plastic one, which has got all the different decorations that people have given us as gifts over the years I like to call it our Christmas tree for the tut Alison doesn't think that's very kind, but he did both those trees and the girls came home, were absolutely devastated and furious that they haven't been allowed to take part in the Christmas decorations like normal So whilst he and I thought that might be a gift, it wasn't received like that Thankfully they calmed down quite quickly and got on and decorated parts of their bedroom
But that's my fail and success this week Look I know it's Christmas week, I know it's really busy The last thing on our mind's is probably reflecting as a parent But I honestly believe if we can be courageously honest, and reflect, particularly at important times like Christmas week, we will find ourselves being able to tweak our parenting in ways which will enhance our life and enhance our children's life If you'd like support and encouragement of being a courageously honest parent at Christmas and throughout the whole of the year, why not sign up to my newsletter? The link for that you'll find in the comments section and while you're here why not subscribe to this YouTube channel
Have a brilliant Christmas, regardless of how your tree is decorated Bye