Thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything thy goodness sends.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)
Leave it to a seemingly-clueless sixth-grade boy, who still needs to be reminded of some of the basic principles of functioning in life, such as the importance of brushing one’s teeth before leaving the house in the morning, or using something other than one’s shirt to wipe one’s mouth, to come home enthusiastically sharing the wisdom of his newly-discovered gift of an old poem, which pretty much sums up what is truly important, a flurry of words so crystal clear in simplicity and truth, reminding us of what really matters.
My oldest brought us this poem for Thanksgiving. It sits on my kitchen windowsill these days, a reminder of what we need to focus on as we plunge into the holiday season, wrought with potential craziness (sometimes the good, but often the bad kind), stress and even illness. This time of year often brings in a little more business than many of us docs want, with the harmonic convergence of cough/cold/flu season, over-scheduling and exhaustion. So in a preventive spirit of thanks, as we construct our holiday LISTS, let us try to focus on and be thankful for the simple, often-overlooked essentials that are truly important in our lives. Keeping this focus can help frame a physically and emotionally healthy holiday season.
Here are a few essentials on my list, as I try to navigate these next few weeks:
1. Sleep! Making sure that our kids are well-rested is one of the most important factors in helping them (and us) ward off infection when (not if) they/we are exposed. Though it’s fine to stay up late occasionally for special occasions, the more we adhere to a relatively regular bedtime schedule, the better. In addition to numerous immune benefits, sleep also helps prevent meltdowns, in kids, and in parents.
2. Eat, Drink and Be Merry…in moderation. This time of year we all look forward to good company, good food, good drink. Trying to maintain some sort of balance of enjoyment without over-indulging sets a good example for our kids, especially as they become older and more aware of their parents’ behavior.
3. Move It. Mix indoor parties and gatherings with as much fresh air and physical activity as possible. Setting aside time for the whole family to be active together helps everyone feel better and gives our kids the message that regular exercise is an important part of staying healthy, even during busy periods.
4. Simplify the Schedule. If we don’t make it to every party, that’s OK. Packing too much into the schedule creates unnecessary stress. Protecting family downtime and creating traditions is just as important as scheduling fun party time. My kids are more likely to remember and cherish our traditions of getting our Christmas tree with their grandmother and baking Christmas cookies than many of the endless stream of holiday events that we often have the opportunity to attend. Less is more.
5. Remember our Flu Shots. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that all children ages 6 months and up be vaccinated against the flu. In addition, caretakers and close contacts of infants less than 6 months should be vaccinated to decrease the likelihood of spread to the very young, who are more likely to experience secondary complications of influenza. There is no shortage this year, it’s safe, and it only takes a few minutes to schedule for most folks (those over 18 can usually just walk into CVS and get the flu vaccine), so there’s really no excuse.
6. Sing! Music can be healing, uplifting and often brings people together. Now that my kids are a bit older, we are planning a little more music in our lives during this season…we are looking forward to a local carol sing this weekend, and hearing my kids play Christmas music on our piano and hum carols has been incredibly therapeutic and grounding as the schedule heats up.
7. Be Thankful…for each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything…thankfulness is protective, against discontent, depression, and a host of other afflictions.
Leave it to our kids to remind us what is really important during the holidays, and throughout the year. Here’s to a happy, healthy holiday season for all of us.