It's Tradition

Divorce causes so many changes in our children's lives.  In all the reading I've done, it says to try to carry on with as many of the same routines, daily schedules, belongings, etc... as possible.  I've worked very hard to do the best I can, but wow - that is a tough one.  It isn't easy to be the parent that still have rules, expects respect and wants the kids to *gasp* pitch in around the house.  But... the experts say it is for the best.  Maybe I'll try that one next time.  I don't want to make you keep your room clean, but the experts say it is what is best for you.  Ha, yeah - I don't think that would go over so well.
Another struggle that I have been seeing more and more of is the change in what is "tradition".  Especially around the holidays.  There wasn't any waking up early on Christmas and racing down the stairs in their pjs to open presents.  There wasn't Thanksgiving at Grandma Whalen's with exchanging of kids' names.  And most recently, Sophie figuring out that Easter won't be with me.

An Easter tradition that I carried down from my mom and both my kids grew up with is the annual Easter egg hunt.  But not big eggs, not hard boiled eggs (can you imagine losing one of those in your home), but the small Hershey's chocolate eggs.  EVERYWHERE.  It is pretty common for us to miss at least one or two and find them a couple months later when we move furniture or get that something out you use once in a great while.  Sophie lives for that Easter egg hunt with her little basket, quivering on the couch while I remind the girls of the rules and know that they aren't hearing a word as they are already scoping out in the room where they can spy eggs.  Oh and I hide them.  I hide them well.  High, low, in things, under things, behind things.  It takes me forever to hide them the night before.

I also hide their Easter baskets.  Over the years it has gotten harder and harder for them to find.  It started with behind a chair or the TV and last year I think I hid one in the dryer and one in the stove.  Thank goodness no one preheated the oven for an Easter breakfast treat while her basket was still in there.

When Sophie found out that Easter weekend would be with her dad, she was totally bummed.  "But we ALWAYS look for the eggs you hide."  Of course I made a promise that we would still do the hunt - it would just be a different day.

I can't help but think that while it is important to keep as many things "normal" for the kids as possible, this is also a good time to start new traditions.  Set new expectations for our new lives and a positive new outlook.  Change can be a great thing!  Time to embrace change and start new traditions for our new lives.