Presence over Productivity
These little hand prints came home one holiday season from Michael’s preschool. The inside of the card had the following message:
This holiday season, I hope you’ll choose to judge the value of your days by how present you were with your little ones. The productivity will ramp back up in the new year, but for now, dial in. Be with them and soak in all the holiday goodness.
Let them decorate the cookies with you, even though they might look a little wonky.
Let them put some ornaments on the tree, even though they won’t all be evenly spaced.
You’ll get less done, but you’ll infuse so much meaning into the activities themselves and you’ll build beautiful memories with your little ones.
To quote Buddy the Elf, don’t be a ‘cotton-headed ninny muggins.’
Let go of the picture perfect holiday to create a holiday that you and your kids can participate in and enjoy.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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