Managing Grandparents During the Holidays

For many of us, the holiday season brings obligatory family time and interactions we'd rather avoid. Whether it's your mother-in-law sneaking cookies to your son after every meal or your father dishing out tough love to your daughter, our family members can do things we don't like – and find difficult to manage.

If you dread the family get-togethers of the holiday season, you’re in good company. A 2009 study found that nearly two-thirds woman report suffering long-term unhappiness and stress because of friction with their mother-in-law. Some women have more difficulty with their families than their in-laws because spending time with them can trigger emotions that date back to childhood. Watching your kids interact with your parents may remind you of the difficult parts of your own upbringing. Or maybe it's a hard adjustment if they are completely different as grandparents than they were as parents.

Here are some easy strategies for managing the emotions of this complicated time so that the holidays can more closely resemble the relaxing, connected time they promise to be.

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