Parentotheca’s Newsletter
Learn. Parent. Grow.
Issue #7 – November 2025
Hello Friends,
November vanished in a blink. I started the month on a sunny beach in Cyprus and ended it buried under Christmas prep. Intense doesn’t even begin to cover it. And while my US friends somehow juggle Thanksgiving on top of everything else (truly, how?), here in the UK we just catapult straight into the festive chaos.
So here I am, writing this newsletter as a reminder – to you and to myself – of what actually matters during the holiday season.
As a kid, Christmas felt effortlessly magical: snowflakes, baking, cousins, parties, laughter. Now, as a parent? The magic often gets swallowed by a bottomless to-do list.
If you’re a parent, you know the drill: letters to Santa, gift shopping, Christmas fairs, nativity costumes, teacher presents, jumpers, parties, events, drinks, more events… and then sprinkle in a few birthday parties, because why not?
And every year, in the middle of all this, I go back to a childhood dream: I always wanted to be a magical fairy (or a witch – same energy) so I could create magic.
Adult me realised: if the magic’s missing, it’s my cue to make more of it.
This newsletter is about exactly that – simple, meaningful ways to create magic this season, without adding more stress or perfectionism.
Let’s dive in.
✨ P.S.: If you’re not already following me on Instagram or Facebook, please come say hi – I’d love to connect with you there!
🔍 Monthly Insight: Kids Won’t Remember The Presents… But They Will Remember Something Else
Recently, I asked my kids what they got for Christmas last year.
After a long, thoughtful pause, only my middle son could remember one thing: his remote-control LEGO Porsche. (Fair. He’s still obsessed.)
The Christmas before?
Blank stares. Not a single gift remembered.
But ask them about everything else?
They remember exactly what the Elves on the Shelves did last year – and the year before.
They remember dancing around the table while making gingerbread.
They remember choosing presents for each other at the school Christmas market.
They remember the board games we played on Christmas Day as a whole family.
Here’s the point:
Your gifts create a spark.
Your presence creates the memories.
Those moments become emotional anchors – little pockets of magic that shape who they are and how connected they feel.
That’s what keeps me going this month, even when my to-do list feels like it’s multiplying behind my back.
P.S. Gifts are still great.
If you’re looking for meaningful, thoughtful presents this year, these guides may help:
👉 Best Gifts for Kids – 10 Best Open-Ended Toys That Encourage Creativity and Learning
👉 Best Board Games for Family Fun and Screen-Free Play
👉 Or just go directly to shopping here 🙂
📚 From the Library: Family Traditions – The Glue That Holds Us Together
“Through traditions you reinforce the connection of the family. You give a feeling of belonging, of being supported, of being understood. You are committed to one another. You are a part of something that’s greater than yourself. You express and show loyalty to one another. You need to be needed, you need to be wanted, and you’re glad to be part of a family. When parents and children cultivate traditions that are meaningful to them, every time they go back to that tradition it renews the emotional energy and bonding of the past.”
(c) Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families
Covey – yes, the Seven Habits guy – had nine kids. Nine.
So when he talks about family life, I listen.
In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, he explains that families fall into entropy unless we intentionally renew connection. And traditions and rituals are the glue that hold the entire system together.
He offers a helpful framework:
Every family needs renewal in four areas – Physical, Social, Mental, Spiritual.
Here’s what that might look like during the festive season:
Physical: long winter walks, ice skating, skiing, a family hike
Social: board game nights, hot chocolate rituals, silly Christmas jokes, family party games
Mental: a wreath-making workshop, cooking something new, building a gingerbread house, learning a new carol
Spiritual: reviewing the year, setting intentions, gratitude circles, prayers or blessing sharing
You get the idea – small rituals, big impact.
And by the way, the book is brilliant – definitely worth putting it on your reading list next year!
Get the book here or Read Our The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Families Book Summary
🛠️ Parentotheca’s Toolbox: Create One New Tradition This Year
As we step into the heart of the holiday season, here’s your simple challenge:
Create ONE new family tradition this year.
Small. Manageable. Meaningful.
Here are ideas to choose from:
- Elf on the Shelf (chaotic or minimalist – your call. Follow our Elves on Instagram for ideas)
- Christmas movie night inside a giant blanket fort
- Board game under the Christmas tree
- Walk together to see Christmas lights
- Gingerbread making + decorating
- Handmade paper ornaments
- A family photo under the tree
- Volunteering together
- Family Ornament Exchange (everyone brings one that represents their year)
- Christmas Tree Camp-Out
- Secret Kindness Missions (draw one daily – do it together)
- Holiday Love Letters
- Letters to Future Christmas Selves
- A DIY Year Book of family memories
This year, I’m definitely trying the Christmas Tree Camp-Out, the Ornament Exchange, and the Yearbook.
What about you?
🆕 What’s New on Parentotheca
Here’s what dropped this month:
✅ New Book Summaries:
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
- The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
- The Power of Character Strengths by Ryan M. Niemiec, Robert E. McGrath
✅ New Articles:
- Best Board Games for Family Fun and Screen-Free Play
- 5 Books That Will Change How You Think About Screens
🧭 Coach’s Corner: I’m Here to Help
Let’s be honest: the holidays can be magical… but they can also expose every crack in our parenting.
The overwhelm. The guilt. The “I’m not doing enough.”
The moments when we snap even though we swore we wouldn’t.
If you’re feeling that, you are not alone.
But you don’t have to carry it into the new year.
Imagine starting 2026 with:
- A calmer home
- A stronger relationship with your child
- Tools that actually work
- And a parenting approach that finally feels intentional – not reactive
That’s what coaching with me delivers.
Parenting isn’t something you’re “supposed to just know how to do.”
It’s a skill. And you can master it – with the right guidance.
A mum I coached recently said,
“I feel like I’m failing at both work and parenting.”
Just weeks later, she told me,
“I enjoy parenting again. I feel in control.”
This is what happens when you get personalised strategies, clarity, and accountability – things you simply cannot get from books or reels.
What you get when we work together:
🎯 A personalised plan for your exact child and situation
🧰 Practical tools you can use the same day – no theory, just results
💬 Real-time guidance for the tough moments you can’t Google
❤️ More connection and fewer battles with your child
✨ Confidence that you’re raising a resilient, emotionally healthy child
If parenting has felt chaotic, exhausting, or confusing…
This is your sign to put your family first and invest in change.
🌟 Make this the year everything shifts.
Let 2026 be the year you parent with clarity, not guilt.
Connection, not conflict.
Confidence, not guesswork.
I know taking the first step can feel big – that’s why I offer a no-pressure, free discovery call. Just a conversation to see if coaching is the right fit.
🎄 Holiday Offer for Newsletter Readers Only:
Get 50% off your first coaching session when you reply to this email.
Let’s make this the turning point.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Parenting is hard. But don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better.
Talk soon,
Irina
