Home for the Holidays: Marrying In

4w_monFB_560x292_120913Getting married is a lot about creating a new family with your spouse. A lot, but not all. It’s also about joining one (or more) existing families; families with unique history and traditions and cultures. Becoming part of a new family can be a great gift, but there are bound to be some growing pains. Both the joys and struggles of that process are highlighted around the holidays.

A few weeks ago, Melody shared how she wants to enable her children to feel the joy of the holidays, even if it means letting go of some of their old family traditions. I also asked my friend Kara for her perspective on the matter. Kara is married with two young children. At this stage in her life, she and her husband Mark want to establish some of their own holiday traditions, but they sometimes run into trouble with the in-laws on both sides. Kara and Mark love and respect their extended families; they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but they do want a chance to establish their own “holiday style.”

With that in mind, here are three ideas Kara shared about how she and her husband are approaching the holidays this year:

A little communication can go a long way towards making everyone feel like their opinions are important.

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Are you experiencing “family growing pains” of your own? What’s your approach to family traditions?