A Thanksgiving Plan

This Tuesday’s Timely Tip gets us ready for our next big holiday.  Really, the only thing you need to do now is give some thought to how the holiday will work for your unique family.  

Food

Do you care if your child eats a special Thanksgiving meal? I never cared, as long as Mikey was happy and part of the family celebration. I let him eat whatever he wanted. After all, Charlie brown served popcorn, jelly beans, toast and pretzels and that has become iconic!

In terms of food, we serve Michael a meal that you might call Thanksgiving-adjacent.  He’ll eat deli turkey roll-ups, raw baby carrots, dried cranberries, a caramel apple, popcorn and finish it off with Pillsbury turkey sugar cookies. A true feast that makes him happy.

If you are a guest at someone else’s home for the holiday, you might want to think about bringing something your child can eat and prepare the host ahead of time for the fact that you’ll be bringing a separate meal for your child (so they’re not offended). 

Sitting at the Table

He might sit with us at the table or he might not, but we always invite him and have a place ready for him. He’s welcome at our table, just as he is. Honestly, you could make anything a tradition in your family.  For Mikey, the important traditions of Thanksgiving are watching Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football. 

Time and Space

Think through how your child will get some quiet time. Maybe an after dinner walk or a quiet story time in an out-of-the-way space…if it is tight quarters, the car is always a quiet safe space. You can read a story together or watch a movie on the ipad.

Entertainment

So much of Thanksgiving is centered around conversation, catching up with friends and family you haven’t seen.  Bringing some entertainment for your child will help you get a little space to honor the relationships you care about. You could print off some free coloring pages (Thanksgiving themed or whatever your child likes), pick up some Thanksgiving stickers and paper placemats so your child can decorate them, bring some favorite toys or games so that cousins or other kids can play with your child. Maybe you might even bring a football so the kids can toss the ball around in the backyard. If the day arrives and you haven’t been able to plan ahead, fear not! Grab the crayons and trace your hands to make turkeys…it’s a time-tested crowd pleaser.

Just in Case

If you’re headed to someone else’s house, I also think it’s a great idea to have a change of clothes for you and your child.  Last but not least, have your exit strategy.  I always parked on the street or in a spot where I could get out if we needed to make a quick get-away.  I know this seems like a lot, but for me, knowing I had all of these tools in my arsenal allowed me to relax as much as possible and enjoy my family time. After all, it’s Thanksgiving for us parents too!