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Daily DigestMercury Spill
The Berkshire Eagle is reporting a minor mercury spill at Hillcrest Educational Centers in Great Barrington.
Do you know what's happening? Tell us at info@iberkshires.com. |
New Contest!
 Try for an awesome ski package at Ski Butternut! Scroll down the page to iBerkshires Trivia! |
Duff'em If You've Got'em
 North Adams Regional Hospital went smoke-free Monday — so did all its sister sites, from Sweet Brook to Northern Berkshire Family Practice to the Women's Exchange. No ashtrays, no smoking: No butts about it. |
Meetings
The Drury High School Council meets Tuesday, Jan 13, at 6:30 in the conference room. Agenda items include AYP, school grant, laptop initiative and PowerSchool updates. |
Wanted: Eagle Eyes
 MassWildlife's annual eagle count runs Dec. 31 to Jan. 14. Anyone sighting one of the regal birds in Massachusetts is asked to participate.
Send date, time, location and town of eagle sightings, number of birds, whether juvenile or adult and observer's contact information to Mass.wildlife@state.ma.us. |
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Like to Write?
 iBerkshires accepts submissions about local events, news and opinion pieces. There are openings for freelance work, too, for qualified candidates. E-mail tdaniels@iberkshires.com to find out more. |
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Obama TransitionOther StuffMars Rovers Mark 5 Years
 Spirit and Opportunity have been trekking the red planet for half a decade. Spirit hit the 5-year mark on Sunday; Opportunity will on Jan. 24. |
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Counseling Corner: Help Your Children Learn the Value of Holiday GiftsBy American Counseling Association - November 30, 2008
This holiday season will be a financial challenge for many families. But while the shaky economy has Moms and Dads paying closer attention to holiday costs, our kids are still be being buried by the barrage of advertising for toys and games they "just can't live without."
Helping your kids successfully navigate the holiday "buy, buy, buy!" season requires more than simply saying no. Keeping the holidays special, memorable and enjoyable means re-directing your children's enthusiasm and energies beyond all the hottest toys and into areas that will help generate warm, long-lasting memories.
Start by creating a realistic holiday budget. Set limits within a budget that won't bankrupt the family and that will limit January bill-paying stress.
Next, help your kids create their own budgets for holiday gift giving. Set an example by talking about your budget, how you've saved for holiday gifts and how you want to find gifts that will mean something special to the recipient.
One option to help get a child's emotions involved is to talk about personal, homemade gifts. Help your child write a holiday poem or story. Or look to gifts your child can make. A drawn picture, an art project, a series of digital photographs, some cookies or other holiday treats you make together – the list of meaningful, personal gifts that don't have big price tag is a long one.
You also want to minimize the stress that the commercial merchandising of the holidays always brings. Let your kids develop a wish list, but make clear it's just wishes, not a shopping list. Let them know it's your right to choose their gifts in order to make their presents special. For older kids, let them research the cost of desired gifts so they can begin connecting a dollar figure with their wants.
One final suggestion is to focus some of the holiday enthusiasm on those less fortunate than your own family. Local agencies offer many ways for you and your family to volunteer or provide help while gaining memories that truly make the holidays special.
While it's tempting to be superparents who can fulfill their children's every wish, it isn't a healthy reaction to the season. Focus on decorating and cooking and having everyone give a little something of themselves, and you'll find your holidays can not only be more affordable, but less stressful, and more memorable, loving and valuable than just the buying of gifts.
The Counseling Corner is provided as a public service by the American Counseling Association, the nation's largest organization of counseling professionals. Learn more about the counseling profession at www.counseling.org. |
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