During holidays and other celebrations unrealistic expectations, unrealized hopes and unresolved conflict can bring on feelings of disappointment, loneliness, hurt, tension, depression, guilt, worry, lack of fulfillment, and anger.

Our fantasies about holidays and celebrations do little to solve your problems or “make our life better.” Remember, only YOU can make your life better.

Begin managing your holiday stress and prevent post-holiday depression today.

Be realistic with your expectations about the holidays. Keep the euphemisms about the holidays and celebrations in balance. Accept them for what they are at the moment.

If loneliness is a concern, get involved. Spend time volunteering or giving service to others is a sure way to alleviate feelings brought on by being alone.

Plan your holiday to reduce stress levels. Share the work load. Delegate responsibilities.

Manage your time and money. Learn to say “NO.”

Decide ahead of time what you can afford to spend. Use common sense.

Getting into debt will not make a “perfect” holiday.

If you are going home for the holidays, let your family know how you plan to spend your time. Give and get clarification about everyone’s expectations.

Strive to maintain a positive outlook. Celebrate in ways you have never tried before. Avoid “Scrooges” who criticize others or situations.

Take time to stop and breathe. Give yourself time to relax. Avoid excessive drinking.

Stick to your regular routine as much as possible. Changes in diet, exercise and lack of adequate sleep only contribute to increased stress levels

Prescription drugs are being misused and abused at alarming rates throughout the United States. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to abuse of these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicines, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away—both potential safety and health hazards.

Help make your home and our community a safer place for all by participating in this initiative!

Thursday, October 20, 2011: Great Pumpkin Hunt

Go on a pumpkin hunt looking for clues to find the hidden pumpkins. Paint and decorate pumpkins to take home. Listen to Halloween stories, sing songs and share a snack together!

Thursday, December 1, 2011: Count Down to Christmas

Make a family “Count Down to Christmas” calendar and Christmas cards for the soldiers overseas. Bring in mittens and hats to donate to the mitten tree in the library. All mittens and hats will be donated to local families in need. Listen to Christmas stories, sing songs and share a snack together.

Thursday, January 19, 2012: Home Sweet Home

Play a human Parcheesi game! Your family members are the pieces in this fun game. Move around the floor game board and try to be the winning family by getting all your members home. You will move your family along the game board by winning challenges.

Thursday, March 15, 2012: Family Feud

Answer questions right and decide to accept the challenge or give the challenge to another family. The family with the most points win! Challenges are fun games and activities.

Youth and Family Services’ Board of Directors is pleased to announce that First Niagara is the Premier Corporate Sponsor for their Rockin’ Into the Holidays dinner and dance. First Niagara has a strong tradition of supporting non-profits in their community, especially those that promote children and youth, in a variety of ways. This annual fundraising event, to be held October 28th, from 7 to 11 pm at Bear Creek Mountain Resort, promises to be an exciting and entertaining event.

Youth and Family Services invites other community businesses to join with First Niagara and take on a sponsorship role for this event. Benefits will include marketing advantages, specialized recognition and a certificate of appreciation. Advertising monies directed back into the community benefit businesses and will help YFS host the best event ever. YFS faces continued financial stress due to United Way’s decision to focus on other goals and end funding support. Rockin’ Into the Holidays provides an opportunity for Youth and Family Services to recoup lost support.

The evening will feature music and dancing to an energetic and popular live band and a delicious dinner buffet. A unique and unusual silent auction is held throughout the evening.

Rockin’ Into the Holidays promises to be a fun-filled evening with hors d’oeuvres, a delicious dinner buffet, silent auction, dancing and entertainment. Proceeds help support the local programming for education and services Youth and Family Services provides to the community. Tickets are available by calling 215-234-9372 or at the YFS office, 1494 Gravel Pike, Green Lane.

Smooth transitions are best accomplished when the adult caretakers of children try to view the situation from the child’s perspective. Parents should explain to children how routines will change and be specific (using age-appropriate terms) the expectations.

Creating a morning schedule or chart in pictorial form may assist younger children. Try a practice run of the new schedule several days before the first day of school – this can help prevent the child from being groggy and/or cranky on the first day of school.

Reading books with a child is a great way to introduce any new experience. Use the books to discuss how the school or child care environment may be different than a previous year or situation. If available, take advantage of open house or meet the teacher nights offered at many facilities.

When the first day of school is arrives, parents should exude confidence and positive feelings when saying good-bye. While parents may feel sad or fearful about this first day, these emotions can spoil a child’s enthusiasm for the first day if expressed too obviously. How parents and other adults handle difficult transitional situations, such as the first day of school, set the stage for how well a child will adjust to the changes.

Beanbag Balls 

The final result are squishy, easy to handle and lightweight balls that can be used in games or just plain catch! Can be made in under an hour!

• 9 (11-inch) balloons (for 3 balls)
• Funnel
• 2 1/4 cups of dried lentils (other beans from bulk area of grocery store work well too)
• Scissors

1.  Stretch the first balloon by inflating it halfway, holding it closed for about 30 seconds, and deflating it.
2. Place funnel in the balloon’s neck and gradually pour in 3/4 cup of lentils, pushing them in as you go. Balloon should be firm but squeezable.
3. Snip off the balloon’s thick rubber lip. Cut the neck off a second balloon and gently stretch the opening. Ease the second balloon over the filled balloon, tucking in the neck as you go.
4.  Cut the neck off the third balloon, stretch the opening, and ease it over the other two. Repeat this process to make a set of three balls, or however many you’d like.

Bug Hotel 

The final result is a fun way for kids to watch their bug friends! Remember to provide water and food for any insects that may spend an extended period of time in the hotel! Should take approximately one hour to construct!

Materials

• oatmeal container
• markers
• paints and brushes
• utility knife
• screen

Instructions

1. Decorate the outside of the oatmeal container using markers, poster paints or other items.
2. Paint or draw shutters and have an adult cut out windows in sideways H shapes.
3. Paint the door, making sure the bottom edge is at least 1/4″ above the floor inside. Have an adult then cut the door.
4.  Roll the screen so it rests snugly around the inside of the container. Trim screen so top edge fits beneath the lid and leave 1″ overlay where side edges meet.

These crafts and many more can be found via this Disney Family Fun website.

As noted in a previous post, bath salts have grown in popularity across Pennsylvania, occasionally selling for as little as $10. Authorities have linked use of the drug to an increasing number of violent – even fatal – behaviors.

The new law will go into effect in 60 days however Gov. Corbett has urged stores to comply immediately. While more than 20 states currently have similiar bans in place, there is no federal regulation. When the law goes into effect, anyone convicted of possession of the drugs can be fined as much as $1,000 and sentenced to up to a year in prison. Convicted dealers can be fined up to $15,000 and sentenced to up to five years in prison.

More information on the dangers of bath salts can be found here.

Sponsored by the Upper Perkiomen Ministerium, Nate Clemens Fund, Youth and Family Services, YMCA of Upper Perk and Representative Marci Toepel.

For more information contact 215-234-9372 or 215-679-9622.

Photos from the event are posted on the YFS Flickr group page – if you have photos of your own, please upload them to the group page as well!

Thank you to all of your sponsors, volunteers, staff and of course the attendees for making this another successful YFS event!

 A variety of vehicles are scheduled to be on display. Big rigs, law enforcement, emergency, commercial and construction trucks and equipment are registered to participate – all the vehicles that keep America running.

 Touch A Truck will be held rain or shine at the Red Hill Fire Company parking lot, 5^th St. in Red Hill from 10 AM to 2 PM. Norm and His Toys, the small scale vehicle rides so popular previous years have promised to return compliments of Norman’s Bus Service. Polly Wally, a face painter and comic magician will attend and there will be appearances by Mario and Luigi. There will also be a number of craft tables. Refreshments will be available for sale by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fire Company.

Admission is $5 a person and kids under 2 years are free. All proceeds will benefit Youth and Family Services. For information, to volunteer, or to register a craft table, call the YFS office at 215-234-9372. A video of last year’s Touch a Truck is available!