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Managing kids’ Christmas expectations

By Kathleen Hall

WASHINGTON — It’s the holiday season. Kids are excited and are making out their wish lists. Although it is a tradition, this is also a potential source of frustration and unhappiness. Children may be focused on one ideal gift they want and have certain expectations for this holiday season.

Some tips:

  • Set the tone for the season. Parents set the attitudes for the holiday season such as gratitude, sharing and giving. You are the CEO, the Chief!
  • Set an example. Your children will follow your example! If you keep focused on what’s important and are mindful about the goals and focus of your holiday, you probably won’t get off track. When your children see mom and dad calmly, confidently, leading the family through the holidays it reduces the chaos and stress of the holiday season.
  • Giving. Make or buy gifts for others so your children learn the powerful feeling of giving at an early age. Your kids can experience the surprise, joy and gratitude when another person looks into their eyes and thanks them. Make some cookies or brownies. Give the inexpensive gift by writing a note on a card telling a neighbor, relative or friend, “I will wash your car, I will mow your lawn, I will babysit.”

Volunteering and kids

  • Empower your kids by allowing them to choose where your family will help others.
  • Volunteer. Do this as a family to teach your children the rich practice of giving to others in need.
  • Feed. Help prepare Christmas dinners for those in need. Check in with your community to see where you can help.
  • Animal Shelter: Take blankets, beds, dog food to an animal shelter.  Animal shelters have enormous needs and they are forgotten this time of year.

 

Gifts

Talk to your children about their gift expectations. Have them make a list of 10 things they would like to receive. Tell them Santa will see what is available and maybe something on their list will come but maybe not the number one thing he or she wants.

Explain that other children have the same things on their list and for some unknown reason they may have needed it more than them. Maybe another child that got the gift they wanted was a child who was sick, or their parent was not with them or maybe they are in foster care. You don’t know why they may not get what they wanted but accept the gifts they receive with gratitude.

 

Rituals-Memories

Your kids love the rituals and time honored memories of this holiday season. Powerful rituals of the Christmas tree, lights, decorations, foods, cookies, candy, gifts, shopping, time off school and Christmas television shows are what create memories. This is a very exciting, fun-filled season for your children. It can almost be magical for a child. Sacred family traditions are created during the holiday season. Teach your children that they belong to family rituals that are unique and powerful glue for your family.

Create life-long memories and engage your children’s five senses.

  • Taste. Cook, bake ritual family meals.
  • Sound. Favorite holiday music or songs you sing together with the kids or at you house of worship or on the radio.
  • Sight. Decorations, Christmas, wrapping gifts
  • Smell. You plant the seeds and memories of the scents of the holiday season such as baking cookies, cakes and pies and cooking your favorite holiday foods. Smells associated with Christmas are pumpkin, gingerbread, turkey and peppermint.
  • Touch. Baking, cooking, making gifts and decorating allow your hands to touch this special season.

 

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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