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Guest column: Tips for managing family stress during the holidays

Posted at 9:38 am December 24, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns Leave a Comment

Submitted by Susan Moore

Around this time of year, we start hearing phrases like “Give thanks” and “get into the Christmas spirit” everywhere we go. Just about every advertisement reminds us that the holidays are right around the corner. It is a festive time of year with plenty to do. There are parades, Black Friday sales, family get-togethers, good food, and gifts to buy.

But as the joy and excitement of the season spreads, stress and anxiety also increase. During the holiday season, we actually see an increase in child abuse attributed to the additional stresses on families.

At first this sounds surprising, but everyone, especially parents, can relate to the stress of setting aside money to purchase gifts for Christmas and food for Thanksgiving. With extra expenses and additional events piling up, parents are vulnerable to losing control of themselves in an attempt to release their stress. Instead of finding a healthy outlet for stress release, many parents take out their frustration on their children and use abusive discipline.

“Typically around this time of year we see the parent with a full plate losing it a little bit and hurting their children,” says Kristen Rector of Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee. “It’s not the out-of-control raging parent who usually abuses a child but the parent stressed out by the holiday expenses.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, anxiety, child abuse, Christmas, Christmas Spirit, family stress, giving, Healthy Families Tennessee, Healthy Families TN, holidays, hosting, Kristen Rector, PCAT, Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee, stress, Susan Moore, Tennessee Parent Helpline, Thanksgiving

Guest column: Christmas Spirit

Posted at 8:51 am December 24, 2014
By John Ragan Leave a Comment

John Ragan

John Ragan

On Christmas Day a century ago, at several locations along the Western Front of the World War I conflict, soldiers from both sides of the Great War emerged from trenches to meet in peace and camaraderie in no-man’s-land: the war-torn spaces between the opposing trenches. In the days leading up to Christmas, troops on both sides had sometimes joined in singing Christmas carols, the melodies rising to mix in the frigid air over the battlefield.

When Christmas Day dawned, instead of exchanging artillery barrages and bayonet charges, they traded handshakes, gifts, and holiday wishes. One location even enjoyed a friendly game of soccer.

Briefly, on a European battlefield where death and bitterness had reigned supreme, there was peace on earth and good will toward men. Though it was for only a day—a Christmas Day—hatred gave way to recognition of humanity’s brotherhood. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Christ Child, Christmas, Christmas carols, Christmas Day, Christmas Day Truce, Christmas season, Christmas shopping, Christmas Spirit, Christmas Truce, Great War, John D. Ragan, Spirit of Christmas, Western Front, World War I

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