Holiday Stress:Kids…
The holidays are a wonderful time. It’s so much fun to get together with family, some of which we only see once year. There are so many things to do and people to see which tends to create a little anxiety in all of us. I know that I feel stressed at times as I try to create the picture perfect holiday for my family.
It’s important that we remember our children during this busy holiday season. I’m not talking about gifts because I know the kids were probably the first ones on the gift buying list. We need to remember that their little bodies are not always as flexible as ours when it comes to all the running around, staying up late, and visiting house after house to see friends and family. Just as we adults get anxious, kids get that way too. In many homes one of the biggest events of the year for them is the arrival of Santa. This anticipation causes our kids to be very excited and anxious during the entire month of December. Try to remember this and be patient with them. It’s not ok to let the family rules slide, but it is ok to tolerate a little more excitement in the air.
Whenever possible, try to keep their schedules as close to normal too. It may mean saying no to that extra visit to grandma’s house, but I don’t think grandma wants to deal with a cranky toddler that has been kept up past their bedtime either.
When it comes to shopping, try to limit it with the kids. It’s no fun to spend hour after hour rushing from store to store while Mom or Dad tries to find the perfect gift for Aunt Sue. Kids would much rather be at home playing with their toys. It makes for a better shopping experience for everyone if it doesn’t last all day. If you do find you need to take the kids out for a day at the mall, plan to stop for a break along the way. Lots of malls have indoor playgrounds now. Grab a snack and let them get their wiggles out for a bit. Online shopping is becoming very popular too, and it’s hard to beat free shipping. Personally, I like to avoid taking my kids shopping at all costs, but I know that’s not possible for everyone.
Let the kids help with holiday preparations too. If you need to wrap a gift let them join in. They may be the “tape helper” or the one who peels the paper off the bow. Pushing them out of the room all the time only makes them feel like you care more about what you’re doing than them. I remember my mom letting us wrap up our own toys as she wrapped to keep us busy. We hardly got to use the wrapping paper but we used blankets, towels and other things we could find around the house. Then we would have a pretend Christmas and give each other the things we wrapped up. It kept us busy and I’m sure she got her work done too. If the task is not kid friendly save it for bedtime. You’ll get it done much faster, and you won’t have a stressful time keeping the kids out of your way.
I wish we had some remedy to a 100% stress free holiday season, but I know that won’t ever happen. Just remember that kids are kids and we can’t let them get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season.
