END OF THE YEAR REFLECTIONS

We are in the transition time between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Many people spend time during this week with family and friends. Retail businesses are busy with sales and exchanges. The holiday lights are still blazing at night, the holiday new movie releases are playing, and people are still making merry. Your teenager is off from school this week and probably enjoying texting his friends and spending time with friends. This is a time of year to enjoy the company of those you care about and to start thinking about how the year has been for you. For many this has been a difficult year - one of tough financial times, losses, fears about the future. But amongst those concerns have also been moments of joy and insight. Talk to your teen about how this year has been for him - discuss the things that have been positive and the things that have been negative. Help him think through how he might have handled the negative moments in a way that he feels O.K. about today. And be sure to praise him for how he has handled tough times and for his successes. This is the time of year to be thinking back before we move before into next year. Dr. Debra