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Holidays Increase Pressure On Children In Changing Families, Kay Hyatt

General University of Maine Publications

Holidays center on family and traditions, but when families change, so do the traditions. For children caught in the middle of an expanding web of households, the pressure can take the fun out of holidays and turn anticipation to dread. The key to easing the tension is honest and positive communication, says a University of Maine professor. Regardless of the circumstances, when parents divorce or remarry, children are confronted with new people, problems and feelings to deal with, says Dorothy Breen, associate professor of counselor education. "Holidays and the pressure to spend time in different places are hard for everyone, …