Celebrating Thanksgiving With Your Kids

Thanksgiving is an American tradition that truly celebrates family - a time in the year when relatives and friends get together and exchange notes on what's gone by. But what does Thanksgiving mean to your kids?

While they look forward to meeting their favorite uncles and aunts, maybe even receiving gifts from them, Thanksgiving has no special activity that caters exclusively to them. A whole lot of adults meeting to catch up on the family news, over an elaborate dinner, is hardly something to excite kids, so that they are largely left to themselves, and may end up feeling a bit left out.

As a dad you can help your kids by explaining the meaning of Thanksgiving. Knowing about it and what it stands for will help them appreciate the essence of this celebration.

Getting children to help with preparing the Thanksgiving dinner could be another way to make them feel included. Not only does it make them feel responsible, they'll look forward to the event of the actual dinner much more if they've had a role to play in its preparation.

5 tips for the best Thanksgiving ever

1. Keep it simple - Even if both you and your spouse like a Thanksgiving table over-flowing with all the possible Thanksgiving items, consider cutting back on some items or getting store-bought items. The stress you eliminate will make everyone enjoy the meal more.

2. Involve the kids - There are plenty of things they can do, from baking a simple pie or setting the table. Make sure you give them plenty of credit in front of all guests for the job they've done.

3. Pitch in - The year is 2008 and women no longer work all day in the kitchen while the guys lie on the floor waiting to be called to the table. Be proactive - volunteer for work you'll enjoy and get into the spirit cheerfully. You'll be happier doing a good deed without being nagged about it. And face it, you'll have to do a bunch of stuff anyway, so you're better off getting points for doing it on your terms.

4. Create traditions if you want to create meaning - Kids thrive on traditions, even the ones they might complain about in their teen years are the ones you may see them re-creating twenty years from now in their own homes. The best traditions are ones that have meaning for the family because they relate to the family history or have taken on a history of their own over time. Don't shy away from creating your own traditions, however. Some examples:

* A prayer said by the youngest talking member of the family.

* Allowing each child to choose a food item that is served every year.

5. Consider not drinking alcohol during Thanksgiving - while this might be difficult for some to imagine, you may want to give it a try if previous holiday meals were emotional or anger-filled.

Paul Banas is a founder of GreatDad.com. He writes articles on pregnancy and parenting topics related to dads. Subscribe to free activities newsletter for dads of 4-8 year olds. Newsletter covers magical age when dads play a major role in their kid's lives.