Manage Holiday Chaos with Consistency
This can be such an exciting time for families- seeing family members, giving and receiving gifts, and specifically time off from school. Time off from school may mean sleeping in, more screen time, more family time, and less following a schedule. We are here to suggest that keeping kids on a schedule, even during their holiday break, may be beneficial for their development and returning back to school in January.
This includes sharing information with your child about what they can expect for the day and week. For example: “Today we are going over to Grandma’s house to bake cookies together, we will be there for 2 hours and you will get to decorate your own cookies”, or “Tonight we are going to be at Uncle James’ house until later than your bedtime. We will eat dinner there and it will be turkey, mashed potatoes, and some other foods, and I will have snacks with me if you do not see something that you like at the dinner table.” Or “Tonight is New Year's Eve, which is a night where you will be able to stay up past your bedtime if you want. We will watch the ball drop and say Happy New Years at 10 pm/12 am (depending on the age of the child)”.
Additionally, having a set schedule throughout the winter holiday is beneficial for children’s brain development. Allowing them enough sleep and providing them with the safety of predictability can help with emotional regulation. If you are unable to keep a consistent schedule throughout the winter holiday, try to get your kids back into the routine a week before school will start again. If you would like to try and keep your kids on a schedule similar to school, with wake-up times, eating at the same times, and fun or educational activities throughout the day, we have included a few things you may want to incorporate into your winter break schedules:
- Go to the library
- Bake cookies
- Decorate an ornament
- Play board games
- Explore nature
- Share a family recipe
- Watch a holiday movie
- Donate old/new toys to charity
Parent Mental health check-in
Remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup- meaning it is okay and necessary to take care of yourself this holiday season. Check-in daily with how you as a parent are feeling and doing this holiday break. If you are feeling overwhelmed use one of your coping skills to help regulate yourself before your next interaction with your child. This may look like: Calling a friend, taking ten deep breaths, taking five minutes to imagine yourself in a relaxing environment, going to the bathroom and listening to your favorite song (no scrolling Instagram, this will probably only dysregulate you more), and sticking to your schedule as much as possible too.