Christmas can be a stressful time for many families. The parenting charity Family Lives talks about common festive problems and how its helpline staff are bracing themselves for a barrage of calls
It's supposed to be the season to be jolly, but the reality is that many families fall apart during the Christmas festivities.
Financial problems and tension caused by all the family being together for long periods can cause family stress – and for separated parents who disagree over where the kids spend Christmas, the problems can be even worse.
It's not surprising, therefore, that the parenting charity Family Lives sees a huge surge in calls over the festive period – it received more than 2,000 calls to its helpline in just over two weeks at Christmas and new year last year.
Jeremy Todd, Family Lives chief executive, says: "Christmas can be the toughest time of all for some families.
"At a time when emotions run high and stresses and strains increase, many support groups close for the Christmas period, meaning cries for help are left unanswered, and the fall-out from the pressures of the festive period can often culminate in couples deciding to separate."
He says many calls are from separated parents struggling to make contact with their children or make relations with a former partner work at Christmas.
"It's important that parents are supported to find a way of communicating and working together for the sake of their children," he stresses.
A survey by the charity found 45 per cent of respondents had access issues, suggesting they might not be able to see their children over the festive period.
Claire Walker, Family Lives' policy director, says many calls before Christmas are from separated parents struggling to come to satisfactory arrangements about where the children spend Christmas, or simply feeling upset that they won't see the children over the festive period.
"We also get a lot of calls about relationship issues – it's a time when families are expected to be happy, and if family life isn't like that then we get calls from people who need help," she says.
Financial problems can also be a huge strain at Christmas, she says, and callers worry that they can't provide for their children or can't give them the gifts they want.
Walker says mothers in particular feel a huge amount of stress because of the extra work Christmas brings on top of an already busy life, and at a difficult economic time.
"For some families, it's a hugely stressful time of year."
She says helpline staff will listen to problems, and get parents to think about what they can do to improve the situation.
"For many parents it's about having a safe place to turn to, where they can share their views and they know they're not going to be judged," she says.
However, she points out that providing such a useful service costs money, and the charity is appealing for £14,000 to keep the helpline running.
To help families avoid reaching crisis point at Christmas, Family Lives offers the following tips:
Get together and write a list of what everyone wants to do. With older children, discuss family time and time with friends so you get a happy balance
Set a realistic budget for presents, food, and other things and try to keep to it as much as possible
If a child wants something that's beyond the budget, explain as best you can why they can't have it
Make a list of who needs to see who
If you're separated and unable to spend Christmas with your children, perhaps arrange to have your own special Christmas Day when they return. Christmas Day may be difficult without your children, so perhaps you can arrange to meet friends instead
If this is your first Christmas as a stepfamily, your child may feel confused and maybe even angry – try to allocate some time that you can spend alone together to reassure them
Don't try to do everything yourself – make a list of jobs which need to be done and allocate them between family or other guests
Don't try to keep everyone happy all the time, and schedule in some time to recharge your batteries
If things get heated between family members and everything gets too much, remove yourself from the situation and perhaps call a friend or relative
Plan a family treat to avoid that deflated feeling after the holiday season, so you have something to look forward to
The Family Lives helpline is on 0808 800 2222, or visit www.familylives.org.uk
↧
