GET IT I FEATURE
Christmas
Doing differently
Christmas looks different for each and every Gold Coast family, especially ones who have had a loss to their family in 2018 — Get it’s Kirstin Cuthbert hears from two mothers who are still finding happiness in their Christmas Days after a hard and challenging year
Willo Ford 37, Mudgeeraba, Founder of Parenting Reimagined Children: Dustin, 3 years and Monique, 11 months Why will you be doing Christmas different this year? This will be my first Christmas as a single mother. What events happened that lead you to become a single parent? It was a series of many different events that lead to me becoming a single parent but in the end my decision came down to the reasoning that it is better to be a single mum than stay in a bad relationship, for myself and for my children. What is the hardest part of being a single parent? So far, when both of my children are upset or sick and I cannot hug them both as effectively as I would
like to! My lap is only so big and it’s my two hands and two feet. I am sure it’s not as comforting as a whole human hugging them in entirety. What will be the hardest part about Christmas this year? Not being able to share with another adult their joy and happiness, the decoration of the tree and the excitement of the season. What will be the best part? Creating a decorated tree and being part of my children’s joy and excitement throughout the day. What will Christmas day in your home look like? Wake up early, unwrap the presents from Santa and I in the morning in our pyjamas, make pancakes and eat them next to the Christmas tree. Then get ready to go to Nannie's house and celebrate the rest of the day with her and our extended family with good food, kids running around, wine, laughter and beautiful happiness by being with with loved ones. What are your tips for other people in a similar situation to you this year? Create traditions or keep doing a tradition which was done prior. I have a tradition to get a new bauble for the tree for each child to put on the tree each year and eat pancakes with deliriously delicious toppings! Creating these traditions gives them some solid things to look forward to and take part in. They will remember them forever and it will always be a special thing that they do with their parent at such a special time.
December 2017
12
"I have a tradition to get a new bauble for the tree for each child to put on the tree each year and eat pancakes with deliriously delicious toppings!"