Enjoy Every Last Bit of Your Hanukkah Celebration...Even the Messy Parts

I recently read an essay by a fifty-something mom who was nostalgic about longing for the days when her kids were still young enough that every holiday season was filled with their screaming voices, sibling rivalry and oodles of time spent carting them to holiday plays, tree lightings and  menorah ceremonies.

Her words were so full of longing for those early years; that it truly made me pause and take stock of the fact that it has become those very moments that I not only take for granted but often disdain. Between managing the stress of the holidays and two kids under the age of eight- like most moms in my situation- I've found myself yearning to fast-forward to a period when my kids will be old enough to fix their own sandwiches and plan their own play dates.

While this mom sheepishly acknowledged harboring similar feelings at the time, it’s ultimately those seemingly simple moments; watching her kid’s faces light up at the sight of a store-Santa and their attempts to fry up potato pancakes while littering the kitchen floor with oil drippings that she wishes she would’ve appreciated more.

So moms (and dads) I'll leave you with those thoughts to hold close to your heart as you embark on some of your holiday expeditions. Time is fleeting and when it’s gone you’ll only remember the good stuff! Here are some of my picks for great ways to get your Hanukkah on at www.wcbstv.com/chapman

For more Hanukkah articles by Melissa Chapman:

8 Tips for Hanukkah Fun

Hanukkah Events for All

Stumped for the Perfect Hanukkah Gift?

 

-- Melissa Chapman, Kids in the City

Melissa Chapman and her brood of three live in the urban concrete jungle of NYC. When she’s not busy putting someone in a  time-out, stepping on action figures, hand-feeding her dog/child  or braiding hair she’s trying to find indulgences and adventures that remind her of her pre-kid days when she felt sexy, didn’t need to wade through mountains of laundry and no one ever called her ma’am! She contributes to Time Out NY Kids, iVillage, She Knows and Real Moms Guide, writes a blog for WCBS-TV and a weekly column for the Staten Island Advance, called Kids in the City.

Visit Melissa's column at: http://www.silive.com/columnists/kidsinthecity