To me, celebrating is for sharing joy. Spending time together. Focusing on a specific event, and giving it the attention it deserves.
Being from a blended family, I’ve shared holidays. I’ve broken up days to ensure both parents get time on the holiday. I’ve also celebrated the same holiday on two different days.
I much preferred repeating the holiday on two different days. It gave us the opportunity to properly celebrate with each parent that way. We didn’t need to rush around, worrying about what time it was. We actually had the opportunity to enjoy our day with our family.
What are we fighting for?
I have seen parents stress over whether or not they have their kids on Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. I’ve seen it tear them up. Drive an even bigger wedge in an already high conflict situation. Fighting for who’s more deserving. Arguing that it’s not fair that they don’t get their kids on the holiday.
The kids don’t care what the calendar says. They don’t feel like they are missing out by not being shuffled all over the place, listening to one parent mumble about how the other is always late while they sit in a Walmart parking lot.
For the kids, it’s the time spent together. It’s watching their parents be happy. Getting to play with their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. It’s the feeling of joy floating in the air.
The kids are what truly matter
We need to start working together to provide the kids a life without conflict. A life where they are the focus, not which parent deserves their time more.
This Sunday will be our Father’s Day. We will wake up, give dad his gift, make his favorites for breakfast. We will spend the day as he wants to. The holiday was two weeks ago, but we were short two kids at the time and we felt it. So, we decided to wait and I’m thankful we did. Celebrating is for sharing joy, and that’s exactly what we will be doing.
Happy whatever day you decide it is today, because it is what you make it.