The Christmas/Summer holiday is almost here. This time of year is busy! Along with the end of year school assemblies and concerts, work Christmas parties and functions, Christmas baking, stressing over holiday budgets and shopping comes STRESS!
Often we as adults believe we are the only ones who get stressed at this time of year. However, our children often have a way of picking up on our moods, including when we are stressed. How can our children relax when we can’t?
So, how can you help your family have a more relaxing Christmas holiday?
Here are our 7 Tips to Help Keep Your Children Stress Free This Christmas:
- Keep it simple: We all have the inclination to want to squeeze every Christmas activity and party into the holidays as possible. Sit down with your family and work out what you are going to do before the holidays start. Keep it simple. Your family honestly doesn’t have to join in every party and activity that you’re invited to. This also means that parents don’t need to leave their kids with babysitters to go to yet another party. Instead, focus on home, do some baking, play games…. You know what we mean.
- Remember routines: This is very important for parents with younger children. When routines are broken, children can and do get stressed out. Do your utmost to keep that routine going as much as you can. Even school age kids get stressed when their routine is broken day after day.
- Meal Time: This is an important one! Family meal time is so necessary for reconnecting with each other and during Christmas holidays just as important. It is a time to unwind at the end of the day and reconnect with each other. We know it’s not possible for family to get together for every evening meal. When you can, it really does make a difference. Keep it healthy if you can – home cooked nutritious meals are so good at this time of year when there are so many extra ‘treats’.
- Limit video games and TV: It can be so easy to use TV or video games as a babysitter when we are so busy. However, when kids are feeling stressed they need more physical activities and exercise (and that goes for us as parents too).
- Hang on to those family traditions: Every family has some sort of holiday traditions. These traditions can make children feel comforted and secure. They know what to expect. One word of warning though. If your Christmas tradition is actually adding more stress to your family’s life, then maybe you need to consider letting it go.
- Share: Help children to learn the real meaning of Christmas and that it’s not all about getting, but giving. Our children can become stressed just seeing all the commercials and ads telling them they MUST have certain items.
- Laugh & Relax: We can’t stress this one enough. Find time this Christmas season to relax with your family. Enjoy a family game night, watching Christmas classic shows and just being together.
Have a wonderful family Christmas!
