Clinton News-Record, 1983-12-21, Page 34PAGE 10A—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1983
Eye h ,<zards at Christmas
The Ontario Association of Optometrist's
Vice -President, Oakville Optometrist, June
Robertson, advises parents that "they
should keep an eye out for toys to buy which
will enhance the development of their
child's visual skills".
The following are recommended for:
Babies - colourful crib mobiles, rubber
squeak toys and large brightly colored balls
Toddlers - blocks and puzzles, stacking
rings and cups; bean bag throw or ring toss
games
Pre-schoolers - finger paints, modelling
clay, drawing and coloring sets, simple sew-
ing cards and lacing cards, sorting and mat-
ching puzzles
Older children - board games, building
sets, model kits, remote controlled toys and
Wishing All Our
Customers and Friends
a very Merry Christmas
and a Happy New
Year.
CLINTON ELECTRIC
SHOP
90 Albert St.,
Clinton
482-3646
1
video games
To avoid unwelcome surprises on
Christmas morning, the Ontario Association
of Optometrists recommends avoiding toys
and games which may be "eye" and "vi-
sion" endangering. Vice -President June
Robertson recommends that parents "set
the ground rules for play with toys that
could cause eye injuries such as dart games,
and always supervise the play". Young
children particularly should not be given
projectile toys (ie. darts even those with
suction cups as these can come off) and toys
that fly.
The tumtario Association of Optometrists
also recommends that children be given
safety goggles for use with chemistry sets,
hobby kits and workshop sets.
We'd "'.
like to
•
take this time to '4
thank our kind friends
Have a very
Merry Christmas!
-vr;
4
LYLE
MONTGOMERY
CONSTRUCTION
CLINTON
482-7644
this tac(odious quartet 6riugs
tidings of comfort aucdjoro
to ouc aud' att. In tune 'we
caroCour tiaufis to c car friends
for tteir Covafre aucf trust.
o0
0o®
FROM ALL OF US a
AT LANGFORD'S-
Don Colquhoun
John Hoogendoorn
Marianne Dykstra
Rick Knptein
LANGFORD LUMBER
HOME CENTRES
230 HAYFIELD ROAD, CLINTON 482-3995
Illt ouletiTV PPOt)uCTS 1. QUAUFIEC, •IFPvi(( * cowl YITiv( PPicir'JCy
elPE14 TIJES®AY, DECEMBER 21
Sandy Stuart and Janie Steed, counsellors with the Huron Centre for Children and Youth
believe that separated parents should work together to make Christmas special for their
children. ( Wendy Somerville photo)
How we saved Christmas
It was one day before Christmas and
Santa called me.
"Bobby, 1 need your help, my elves went
on strike."
"I'll be right there, with Jeff!"
So we got tickets to the next plane to the
north pole. When we got there, we got right
to work. Santa and Bobby started building
and wrapping toys and other goodies, for
kids around the world, while Jeff went out
the back door so he could feed the raindeer
without getting hit by the picketers.
It took almost the whole night to build toys
and goodies for children. The next night, we
were gone on our journey. We stopped at all
the good boys and girls homes. On our way
back, Santa said about how much he would
like to have his elves work again. When he
got home, he got his wish; the elves worked
for him. It has never happened again and
that's why Christmas is still today. -by Jeff
Gemmell and Bobby Fisher, 6A Huron
Centennial School.
IllltIIIIIIIIIIIII II
I l
II I1 I I I I I I I I loll III 14;;
it
Wishing you bright holidays
as Christmas lights up the world.
It's o pleasure to serve you.
Jack Riddell
MPP Huron -Middlesex
The Riddell family extends to
you our warmest Christmas
greetings. May the true
meaning and the spirit of
Christmas be with you
throughout the New Year.
41ear.
ONE OF
LIFE'S
LITTLE
PLEAS
Wishing all our freinds,
young and old,
a very Merry Christmas and
Joyous New Year.
/ i our Volvo & Mazda Dealer
M -W MOTORS
LIMITED
184 EAST STREET
GODERICH
L 524-2113 -4461111.
CLOSED: DEC. 24, 2S, 28 and DEC. 31, JAN. 1 & 2
Separated 'iarents shout work
together at C list, : as time
For a loving family, Christmas and
Hanukkah offer a special time to enjoy each
other's company. But for an ever increasing
number of divorced families, the holidays
can instigate the toughest tug-of-war of the
year.
For parents who haven't resolved custody
issues, the holidays can be the time of the
three As - anxiety, anger and arguments
over who gets the kids.
"One of the most important things to
remember is that even though a couple may
be separated as husband and wife they are
not separated as mom and dad," stressed
Sandy Stuart (a counsellor for the Huron
Centre for children and youth in Clinton).
He said that at Christmas time the
parents of the child or children should work
out some sort of agreement about who is to
take the children and when. Parents should
by no means dump the responsibility of
deciding where to go, with the child. "That
is an adult decision and should be made by
adults," he said.
Janie Steed ( also a counsellor at the same
centre) adds that, "Kids shouldn't choose,
the situation is far too stressful for them."
Another problem that is magnified at
Christmas is the problem of one parent try-
ing to out;(io the other.
Janie said that it is extremely important
for parents to discuss what each one is giv-
ing the child for Christmas. "Maybe, the
parents could go together and purchase a
gift between them; that would be just
super," she said. "And it would almost
eliminate the problem.
Both counsellors agree that one of the
main problems encountered at this time of
year is the child favoring one parent over
another because he or she gives him more
material favors.
"More often than not (if the mother has
custody of the children) the father sees the
children far less than the mother, so when
he does see them he showers them with gifts
and treats," explained Sandy.
"The child sees the one parent giving him
gifts and the other scolding him because his
room is messy, and he decides he likes the
'gift giver' better," added Janie.
Another aspect of separated couples at
Christmas is the fact that often one parent
becomes very lonely over the holiday
season.
"Sometimes when a couple split, one is
left with the kids and her family and friends,
the other (if there was no family) is left with
virtually no one," said Janie.
One way around this problem, the
counsellors said, is to invite the lonely
parent to spend Christmas with the kids
and his or her estranged spouse. Both
counsellors stressed that the parents should
lct the children realize that the temporary
'putting down of arms' is merely for the day
and that, as Sandy says, "Mommy and Dad-
dy arc ng to reconcile because they
have just spent Christmas day together."
It is also hard when the separated parent
does not like his inlaws, and will not allow
the children to visit them on Christmas Day.
"The only ones getting hurt then is the
kids," said Sandy. "The problem is then
shifted to a marital thing between husband
and wife not mother and father."
Many children of separated parents may
find it tough this time of year because they
are involved in Christmas plays or
pageants. They are embarrassed to tell
their friends why one of their parents has
decided not to attend the performance.
Janie said that she is "seeing more kids
respond positively when their friends ask
what they will be doing at Christmas."
"A lot of kids are saying things like 'I'm
going to have two Christmasses this year,
one with Mommy and one with Daddy'."
She said that this is definitely a sign that
the parents have been discussing the pro-
blem with the children and they have all
decided on a correct response to a difficult
question.
A favorable aspect of Christmas, accor-
ding to the counsellor, is the fact that many
parents are too busy to sit and ponder their
situation. The problems are placed on the
back burner for awhile.
"Often you can almost imagine some
children breathing a sigh of relief because
no one is asking how they feel or looking at
thein and saying 'you poor thing'," said
Janie.
When the separated couple is finding it
almost impossible to reach an important
decision or resolve a dispute, Sandy and
Janie feel that this is when it is time to bring
in an individual who is unbiased and will
give them an uninfluenced opinion.
On Christmas Eve when everyone is sit-
ting around the Christmas tree and maybe
feeling a little depressed, the counsellors
stresseI that it might be necessary for them
to discuss their feelings.
Both agreed that once the families of a
split couple talk about how they are feeling
it might help them to realize the hurt and
"get on to other things".
Sandy said he Would like to see more
church groups and neighbours helping out.
He feels it is necessary for someone to say,
"Hey, we know what you're going through,
would you like to come over for a visit, or
maybe have Christmas dinner with us?"
Often when a couple separate, they also
separate from their spouse's friends and in-
laws, so getting together with another fami-
ly helps fill in that empty space.
Both Sandy and Janie feel that though
Christmas can be a difficult time for
separated families, it is important that the
parents make the decision regarding the
day's plans and the child realizes that both
parents love him and are willing to share.
Partytime, how to enjoy yourself
Christmas and New Year are party times.
There are school parties and community
parties, church parties and office parties,
parties with friends and parties with
relatives.
Parties can be fun or they can be a great
bore. To make the best of Christmas parties
an English magazine listed six rules for a
good talker. They are:
1. Never tell funny stoires about your
children unless you are certain you would be
amused if everyone else told you funny
stories about their children.
2. Never try to start a long conversation
with someone who obviously is busy or in a
hurry.
3. Never talk to yourself in the middle of
talking to others. (Let's see: was it really
last August? Maybe it was the first week of
September - that was when Aunt Millie was
visiting).
4. Never describe the plot of a film of book
your victim hasn't seen or read.
5. Never apologize for something you're
really proud of. (I don't know anything
about , but ... )
6. Above all, never forget that other people
also prefer talking to listening. Give them a
turn.
We send you
a treasury of
old fashioned
holiday greetings
and sincere 0p 0
CORDON AND SHIRLEY STEEPS
VIVIAN SPENCE
NEIL WAMMES
JEFF WISE
TRAVEL -4N
SALES & SERVICE
R.R. 2 CLINTON
3 miles West of Clinton
on Highway No. E
482-3364
S