Stress

November 28, 2017

The holidays can be hectic — and tense. Between buying presents (expensive and nerve-racking), holiday events (how many holiday concerts can there be?), entertaining (so much cooking), traveling, and family gatherings (which are not always as pleasant as we might like), what should theoretically be fun has a way of becoming stressful. It can be stressful for kids, too.

Here are seven ways to prevent and reduce holiday stress for children this season.

1.  Manage your own stress. Not only are you setting an example, there’s just no way to stop your children from sensing your stress and being affected by it. You’re no good to anyone if you can’t function. Try to be self-aware. Practice self-care. Get enough sleep. 

2.  As much as possible, keep routines the same. Kids do best when routines are predictable — and healthy. As tempting as it may be to let kids stay up late and sleep late throughout the holidays, try to stay within an hour of usual times, except for special occasions (like New Year’s Eve). We all do better when we stick to our sleep routines. Same goes for mealtimes (be sure your kids get three healthy meals a day).

3.  Manage expectations. Up front, let kids know what they can and can’t expect. We all have monetary (and philosophical) limits.

4.  Keep kids active. Exercise is a known stress-buster. Get them outside. Go to the park. Go for walks together.  Try to do things that involve actual interaction. 

6.  Build some family holiday rituals, if you don’t have them already. Whether it’s holiday baking, or making homemade gifts together, or a particular concert you always attend, or some friends you invite every year, create things you can do together every year that are meaningful and fun. 

7.  Choose something to do as a family that helps others. Choose toys for a toy drive. Go through clothes in the closet and bring gently used ones to a shelter or clothing drive. Instead, think of it as a way to not only teach kindness, but to keep perspective on the holidays.

That’s a perspective we all need — and the perspective that could save all of us a lot of stress.