NANA SAYS START THE NEW YEAR WITH JOY

Parents role model mood and attitude towards just about everything in their lives. Children are watching and listening. Positive statements stick but so do negative ones. For example, if you hate your job and talk about how much you hate it, what are you teaching your children-to hate work!! Yes it is difficult to be happy and upbeat all the time but act as if there are many joys in your life. Make the first joys your children. Talk about how happy you are to be a family. Talk about how no family is perfect and no one always likes everything but family is family. Joy starts with an attitude, a smile, a morning hug! If children are moody and going through a phase, then label it and try to find the silver lining in it. See and honour any of the good stuff. Joy! Be joyful- the beginning of another year brings the opportunity to keep on ticking and doing. If you are having a busy time and need a break, remember the grandparents! They can help with the Joy thing!