5 Strategies for Stress-Free Holidays with Kids
We love the Christmas parties, shopping, and gift-giving of the holiday season, but the Christmas season also creates stress for parents and children. We have so many extra activities like Christmas and New Year’s parties, Christmas shopping, and gifts to purchase. We have Christmas programs the children will perform in, all the extra food and sugar can be too much. It’s easy to see how moms need ideas for stress-free holidays.
It’s easy to see how parents and kids can easily be overwhelmed and stressed during the Christmas season. A few years back, even my 6-year-old, who should be able to cope better, had a total melt shopping this weekend. She was fine, we were having a nice time, and then suddenly something just snapped. She was fussing and making demands. Christmas shopping is stressful, but this scene was embarrassing.
Here are some tips and strategies to help you reduce your Christmas stress.
5 Strategies for Stress-Free Holidays
Keep your normal schedule as much as possible
Plan your holiday activities around your normal schedule as much as possible. Kids need their normal routines. It gives them a sense of security and balance. When the schedule changes too frequently, they become disoriented in time and the younger ones (especially those under 5 years old) will become fussy, irritable, and downright unmanageable.
Strategy #1 -As you plan your holiday schedule consider your kid’s normal routines and when possible incorporate their schedule into your plans. Example, if nap time is always at 12:30 pm, this is not a good time to start Christmas shopping. Plan your shopping in the morning or after nap time.
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Set expectations for your kids
Help your kids of all ages know what to expect and what you have planned. For example, if they know you have to go shopping and then you will go to the park, they will be more willing to help you complete your shopping with less distraction so they can go to the park and play.
If you are going to a party with lights and music, you may want to prepare your child by explaining the party will have Christmas lights and music, and people will be talking making the sounds louder than usual.
My oldest child seemed to have a sensitivity to noise in restaurants and parties. When he was young, as soon as we stepped into a restaurant or party he would start crying. He would not stop crying until we left (eventually we figured out the noise bothered him and we just had to get babysitters until he was older).
Strategy #2 – It’s easy for young children to become overwhelmed in places they are not familiar with or if the noise is louder than usual. Prepare your child before you leave home with the plan for the day and tell them what to expect from the parties and holiday activities.
If your child becomes overwhelmed, take them to a quiet place
The best way to calm an overstimulated child is to take them to a quiet place. If you are at a party, go to a quiet room or go outside. If you are shopping and the crowds, lights, and displays become too much, try going outside or even to your car (a familiar place) to allow your child to calm down.
Once your child becomes overwhelmed (and sometimes it happens unexpectedly), give your child as much time as they need to calm down.
Strategy #3 – If your child becomes overwhelmed or has a meltdown allow your child a quiet and calming down time. If needed go to a quiet room or outside away from crowds and noise.
Avoid too many sugary foods and limit sugary food intake
During the holiday season, it’s so easy for all of us to overeat and eat too many sugary foods. Sugary foods make some children more active which will cause them and you stress at parties and while shopping in large crowds.
Help your child make healthy choices when eating by including some protein and vegetables. Be sure to drink lots of water, not soda and other sugary drinks. Limit sugary foods and treats when at parties. Maybe even set limits to having dessert only once a week.
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Strategy #4 – Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water. Avoid sugary foods or only allow limited desserts and sugary treats.
Stay calm, Mom
You will be tempted to give in to the overwhelm yourself. Remember, stay calm. The more calm and steady your voice when you speak to your child, the calmer they will be too. If you lose your cool and yell or speak crossly, your child will become more stressed too.
If you need a moment, take a deep breath and count to 10. When you are able to stay calm, your kids will be calmer too. Give them a good example to follow.
Strategy #5 – Stay calm. Give yourself a little grace and take a moment to calm yourself before you start helping your child. Remember not to yell, just speak in a calm, rational voice.
The holidays can be a stressful time. We can reduce the stress and help keep our kids calm with these 5 strategies: keep your normal routine when possible, prepare older children (2-6 years old), if your child becomes overwhelmed, take them to a quiet place, avoid too many sugary foods and stay calm, mom.
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Let’s enjoy the holidays, keep our sanity and reduce our stress this year.
Your turn…
What strategy do you use to keep your kids calm and less stressed during the holidays?
