- "THE holiday ‘season is
approaching quickly...
OK, let me rephrase
that. The holiday sea-
son is about to bow!
- ws over, Here it comes |
with all its last minute
-- Shopping, travel plans,
_., cooking plans, and
» eatertaining plans.

Despite the joys inherent °

n this particular time of the”
year, most'adults ‘are glad to
get back to work, or to get’
the children back to school

so ‘they, can rest. I think it’s” :

quite a stretch to link the.
term holiday, which usually -
means rest; with December.
Maybe the hyperactive sea-

son would be a more appro: :

In the midst of all that.

joyous activity, for parents of |

hildren ‘age five and up will
ome the possibility of a few
moments of tension, particu
larly. over visiting relatives.
“We're heading over to
ncle Bob's,‘kids,” can be
the equivalent of. asking :
them to lic'on che rack.while

cumpor tance te)

“We anly geo there once a-
year, honey, just ike we only’

go to Aunt Sue's and
G randma Smitty’s once a

year.”

“You mean we have to go

“to their places too? There’s
“no way I’m wasting my holi-

day visiting al! these crazy”

relatives. I’m out!” Big pout. .

.- You have several options |:
at this point to deal with the ©
emerging family Grinch.

’ First, you can give them the
obligation speech. Having,
- heard it quite.a few times in

my own youth, I think I can
ecall it pretty clearly.
~ Let me'see now:.. -
“They buy you.a present .

very year for your birthday:

and for Christmas. It’s not |

asking "too much for.you. to

go there fora couple oO
hours and be civil:. This i is
family, and some day you *
ll come to appreciate the
iy tw.you.

And when you do, wouldn’t
it bea fine to do, (whatever

ag dame Tae. .

PEAY WI EAI LE AE ET MR AS AAG IAT

thac meant), if you were to
find that they didn't want to

. see YOU.

“Blood’s thicker than
water, you Know, and vou
better understand now that
families stick together and
are good to each other. Now
wipe that pout off your face
(this was always a big clos-
ing) or I'l! give you some-—
thing to pout about.”

You might try the guilt
approach. “Look, Grandma °
Smitty isn*t getting any
younger and she hasn't
looked too good lately. This
might be the ast time we see |.
her so let’s be good tu her.”

~ That one works for a couple:

of years, but it’s not long

before the kids catch on that

Grendma Smitty is as tough
as nails and is going to out-
live everyone.

There's always the “ my
way or the highway”

approach. ft goes something
like thisze"

“Are you trying to tell
me where you will and won't:

‘go? Who pays the bills here?..:
. Whose roof is this? Who *
“makes the decisions about.
~ where we do and don’t go?:

As tong, as f pay the bills and
you live under my: roof,

-: you'll be visiting Aunt Sue: .:
“whenever I feel like visiting
a “her.” Have you got that?” '

“This one generally back-

. fires when a child turns 15,:
decides that living urider that :

roof isn’t worth it, and. © =.
invites Aunt Sue to move’

“into her room because she s.

“outta there!

Begging is good some-"
* times, especially if it is com-
bined with a little bribery.”

Try this: “Okay, listen. Ta wy

really, really, really like to
you go with us. It would
mean a lot te me and to
your entire genetic pool, and
on top of that, if you go qui-
etly and act nicely, i give
you five bucks at “the end.”
Those of you with a high-
er ethical purpose may
decide to go the characcer-
building route:
: “Look, I know how
you're feeling. Visiting Uncle

’ Bob is no thrill for me either.

But I've found over the
years, that sitting and listen-
ing to him for two or three
hours, and not jumping up
to strangle him, has helped

- me develop tremendous self

discipline. Yes, a visit to
Uncle Bob's makes me a bet-
ter person, and that can hap-
pen to you. Come on, iet’s
hop in-the car and find out
just how strong we can
become ss human beings.”
Those of you who have a

‘bent toward avoiding con-

flict might simply call Uncle”
Bob and describe the spots

that have shown up on every :

member of the family. Let
him know thar there’s no’ |.
sense in coming over with —_
soup because the health
department has sealed off
the neighbourhood until the
Atlanta Centre for Disease -

Cone has determined the...

-the North Van: City Library.

‘+ Tuesdays and Thursdays (Dec.

“ for3- 5-vear-olds, at the. West
. Friday,

Van Memorial Library.
Dec, 15 at 10:30 and 11:30
a.m. Information: 925. 7408.

Drop-in “Toddlers ‘Storytime:

For ages 2-3 at the North .Van.’
City’ Library. Wednesdays and»
. .: Fridays at 10 a.m. or oe am. .

o : Info: 998-3480...

Drop-ia Babes Storytime: $
For newboras to 24 months at

- Laudate Singers
Choir. and. Harp for Kids! at

14,19, M1, 28) ac 10: 30 a.m.’

°. Info: 980-4424.

French for Fun Sto:
Saturdays, Dec. 16, 23, 30, at
9:30 or LL a.m. Drop-i in for all

ages.at the North Van city

Library. Info: 980-4424."

“Saturday Storytime. “and :

Crafts: For 4-8 years, Dec: 16;-

23,30, at 10a.m., at the North”

Van “City Library. Pretegisien
980-4424.

aclents

Stes Andrew’s United

Dee: 16, 34 p.m. Tickets are
$5 for children 15 and under
“and $10 for adults: Call”.
-Ticketmaster at 280-3311 or |
: for more info ‘call 631-3158.":

Winter Lantern Making:

pace: :

cause of the spots.

If all else fails, you might
even take a shot at a little a
honesty:

“When I was your age I
used to have to go to Uncle |
Joe’s. Now you have te go
to Uncie Bob’s. And when
you have children, you can.
make them go to your
brother" 's house, and you can:

magine how much they'll

: hate that. You ste, that’s the’
~ give-and-cake that keeps the

universe in balance.” wo
“=< Graham Hookey. is the”
author of Parenting Is-A Team.

: Sport. He can be contacted at’

gh ook ey @

Workshop for children aged 6:

_ 10 years ‘et the Sik. Purse,
; Sunday, Dec. 17, 1-3 p.m. Cost :

of $25’ includes a‘ carol sing-.
along and refreshments. on

~ Dee. 18, from 6:30-8:30 pan.

Pre-register: 925-7292."

Internaticnal Fairytales and
Craft: For 6-9-year-olds at the
North Vancouver City Library.
Tuesday, : Thursday, Dec.”'1
21, at 3:30 p.m. Country: fta
tured is Sweden: Pré=

- 980-4424.

Show: Thurstay, Dec.

“21,7 4:30: p.m. The’ German ;

Schoo! Noth and Continuing’

-Education presenta puppet
-.. show for all children and their

parents at 2122 Hamilton Ave.

-N.V. Admission is $2 for adults
: re $1 for children. Info: 926-
3

= Bax y your ‘event information
-985- Sia.