Three Easy Ways to Lessen Holiday Stress
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Well Christmas morning may be but the lead up to it can be quite overwhelming for young children. We expect children to be "good" because Santa or the Elf is watching, but we are filling their days with baking, decorating, lights, trees, late nights, shopping, presents etc. and we want them to "behave". Kids thrive on structure and knowing what to expect. The Christmas chaos throws that out the window for sure. As adults we get so wrapped up in the perfect Christmas we sometimes miss the simple things that will create the memories we are seeking. Here are a few tips I have learned (it took me a while) through my own kids and observing many families over the years. 1. Make sure you stick to bed times! There are so many activities happening around this time of year. Shopping, concerts, parties etc. Try your best to make sure your child has enough rest! 2. Behavioral expectations need to be appropriate and re